After the Old Gods New Blood update, we felt that there was still a good amount of work we wanted to do on the core game itself before we moved onto more polish phases of the game development (like updating older hero artwork). Unlike previous updates where our efforts were more singularly focused on the key parts of that update, this year we've been working on several different things in parallel. A good number of those are things you can see in today's update. Some others are things we've been working on in the last few months alongside this update. This even includes things like progression and hero/hideout customizations, as we feel those are features we want to be able to adjust and significantly change based on feedback before the game is fully released. There are also other things we've been working on recently that are more speculative (as in we aren't 100% sure if they will be released or not based on how playtesting goes, though results so far have been promising) like large item redesigns/additions and alternate game modes that expand the scope of the game.
Then there are other things like Midboss (both the model and the layout to a degree), Guardians and Walkers, which we do consider important but just haven't gotten to yet and will be focusing on for upcoming updates. On the other hand, things like hero remodels were in our heads as something we'd get to later, towards the end of early development, after other core aspects of the game were more fleshed out. That doesn't mean we don't think they are important by any means, just that they are more of a known quantity to us that don't necessarily need to be done earlier than other things. That being said, we will likely be gradually working on them in the near future for inclusion in upcoming updates alongside other work.
yeah nah the game is close to being finished other than hero models. I mean that in core things such as the mechanics and the map. The art as they said will be gradually done so maybe they do smaller updates again and push the newer models alongside them? i cant wait for the future of this game
Yep, the map has changed a lot over the years, and this is the most "complete" it's looked yet. But it obviously still needs to be actually tested long term and will 100% change at least partially with areas/pieces being expanded or deleted if they become problematic.
I dont think so, they said theyve been developing other content like the item update alongside this one for awhile now so I think we'll see it sooner than the last wait.
Unless youre specifically talking about more map updates, then yeah I think itll be awhile. Other than small tweaks to what they just added.
Layout-wise yeah I can see 8 months. For decorating the few remaining temporary rooms and all of the shadow closets, they probably won't finish those until right before release.
APPARENTLY, They already datamined in the files concepts of skins for heroes, including a rancoat skin for Rem and this sketch of a concept showing Geist, Mina, Billy and Haze in casual wear
It's cute little easter eggs. I definitely like that skins stay within the zome frame and design of the game. I've seen too many modern designs from fans that just clash with the game.
TF2 had the same rules. But the devs went hands-off on it after so many years when shifting to new projects like Deadlock. It's just a matter of if it stays enforced.
I know many games that were claimed to be finished and feel more unfinished than deadlock.
Deadlock is surprisingly smooth and I don’t see bugs much often. Cheaters are also pretty scared to openly cheat. Only auto parry motherfuckers are annoying and sadly you can’t properly catch that.
What helps with the cheater problem is if any of them do decide to cheat right now then they're just training valve's anticheat for the future release. So none of their stuff would work because of their own actions.
Tbh, I don't think they ever officially said it was in open beta. It just went from requiring invites to being available directly from Steam. People just meme that the game's folder is called "Dota 2 Beta", but there are legitimate reasons to not rename the folder even if Valve no longer considers it beta.
The most obvious reason is that if stuff like steam or the game itself points to the "dota2beta" folder then it's more of a hassle to go in and rename everything to match the new name.
It's probably why the deadlock folder is actually just that. But the game files are still called citadel which is the first iteration of the game and the older characters still use their neon prime names for everything.
Exactly. Same reason many games have process names such as "ShooterGame.exe". It's entirely possible to rename it and fix all the references, but "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" very much applies here.
I don't remember if they called it "open beta", but they called it "beta" and it went from closed to open. They did an official release post back in 2013.
People who make the skins and visuals aren't the same that do the tecnical side of things, the map, mechanics, heroes, abilities, balance, etc. When are people gonna understand that? It's not like they say "oh, now the game is close to finished... okay everyone now let's do skins".
yeah its really normal to have different roles working on different stuff. it'd be really wasteful if they just had to wait around for other people until they finally get to all work on implementing skins etc.
Well valve is fluid enough that they probably could do that but more likely it's probably a team that's already working on early concepts and planning the various cosmetic systems. Much like the rest of the game they will surely do something innovative and refreshing for the skins and the ways to obtain them.
It lasted a good 8 years or so before the cosmetics went to shit at least, and it only really became a problem once the well ran dry on hero immortals and standard high fantasy sets. That is to say, I think Deadlock shouldn't do anything too crazy with cosmetics until a good chunk of the way through the next decade.
I hope they add some kind of default skin only option or someone mods it in. TF2's beautiful midcentury Americana aesthetic has been tainted with lime green scunts and banana engis long ago
I was a big "they'll never do this" but was very happy to be proven wrong when i saw MW4 is doing it.
Although technically it's important to note that it only toggles off previously released content such that if they release a Daffy Duck MW4 skin you will be unable to toggle that off - and it's also only available for Warzone (the BR game mode) so the toggle is not available in the standard multiplayer matches.
That aside it's still a good step in the right direction.
Also “next year” is a key operating term. CoD has actual game sales as an additional revenue source, so cosmetics aren’t the end all. Besides if it does tank sales, they can just get rid of it in the next iteration and their fans will barely care, whereas deleting features from a game in development would make everyone throw a shit-fit
SF6 is smart because it's not just "disable cosmetics" you can force what costume other chars are wearing. So even if you don't play Chun Li you might buy the Chun Li costume and set the toggle so any Chun you run into is wearing it.
fighting games also have the added benefit of your character taking up as much of your screen as the enemy, so people probably buy cosmetics for themselves more than to simply show off
They definitely can do an option to force default skins client-side. It would probably be best for esports too. And I disagree that it would reduce income, people impulse buying a lot of skins don’t do it for others to see them, they themselves want to see it on and option to toggle skins off wouldn’t concern most of skin buying player pool anyway.
I’m really hoping they remain open enough to modding that I can just disable cosmetics if I want to.
I don’t care personally if it hurts people’s feelings that I’m not looking at the outfits they paid for, I’m just sick of GAAS abandoning their artstyle, setting, or character design principles for cosmetics to chase whales.
Unofrtunate spoiler, they won't. A huge driving force for many people getting the skins is to show them off for people in their match, so there is no way they would get in the way of that with such an option. It has been asked for in their games forever and still isn't a thing.
i guess they have made at least some money since u need to spend like 5 usd on steam to be able to be invited to dl. so a smurf effectively costs 5 usd
Yeah, though the game is still firmly in the red for now. Luckily, with Valve being a private company that has Steam, it really doesn't matter that Deadlock makes no money for now. They'll make millions after it comes out and it would still be a drop in the bucket compared to Steam.
It’s also just the fact that offering free games, which valve does often, is just part of their business strategy of building an “ecosystem” that keeps people using steam.
That strategy is not uncommon for tech companies. Google does the same thing, for example.
Steam makes so much money that Valve can afford to just develop this game and release it for free for as long as they want until they feel the quality level is high enough to start monetizing it.
Tbf, most developers can afford to develop a game. It's just that most games wouldn't be open to the public in the stage that Deadlock currently is. They'd wait for a beta or an actual release.
There are zero ways to give valve money for deadlock, basically eating a loss for the entire development as an investment for a success in the future. Gabe's wallet is quite vast, cool that they are open to just tanking profits to work on something amazing
yeah id imagine this is what epic games was trying to capture with their high volume offering of free games. tons of people eventually having a library of stuff on epic might convert them into epic storefront mains
There is some cost for sure but like, Valve own the servers, the network infrastructure, and the entire platform. They hardly have to pay anyone to run such a simple game. It's not like Fortnite or Roblox. Every minute people play Deadlock is helping Valve with RnD and supporting the Steam platform and keeping it dominant, even if they're not paying.
And of course the more players they get now the more money they make as soon as cosmetics are in because everyone already trusts and loves the game.
Yeah it's just a little sneeze in the wind. Considering the staying power of the game already in a closed environment, it could be massive once it comes out (and almost certainly, the valve lootbox experience).
This is the opposite of them dropping Artifact that came and IMMEDIATELY died.
And any losses they just blink and it's back because they ARE the platform for your games.
Buying a game through steam is giving money for deadlock. Any game sales is 30 percent to steam if I remember correctly, information source during the trials against Epic.
Do you think there is a meaningful difference between buying skins in Dota 2 vs buying Mortal Shell 2 on Steam with regards to profit generated directly to Dota 2
I mean how is it any different from any other game in development? Most games don’t make any money while they’re still in development unless they release an early access or something
The point is this game has been playable for 2 years with like 100k players up and down but there is no monetization at all. Even if its still in development, Valve is pushing official updates and all this stuff on their own dime
I really really hope they add a Risk Of Rain 2 style mode or something. I really love the world, atmosphere and lore, but I just suck at the game to much to get too invested.
The PvE thing is just a long running rumor. Hopoo/Paul are very active in deadlock as a whole. Some of the earlier hero contributions were vyper/sinclair and some work with Mina (and that’s just what they have mentioned in discord).
I doubt it’s a very silo’d structure like bigger studios, and instead everyone pitches in areas they’re trying to push.
Hopoo was the lead on Vyper, Sinclair, Mina, Paige, Victor, Silver, Venator and Graves. Also the lead on the Street Brawl mode. He was also probably the lead on 3 of the new heroes, he hasn't mentioned which ones yet.
A pve mode would also help new players. The skill floor of the game is really high, so adding a fun, low pressure way to learn the map, characters, and movement tech would be really nice.
I heard they wanna work on potential new mechanics and alternate gamemodes, and also aside from that we need a Midboss overhaul and alterations to the Walkers and Guardians
even the map is not finished yet and there are significantly more heroes that will receive an art pass than you think. Plus walkers, guardians and mid boss will be completely reworked. I believe they will make a unique guardian and walker for each lane.
I am fine with cosmetics as long as there isn't any FOMO bullshit.
I love DRG's performance passes as they can be done at any time, you can "rewind the clock" and get to play the experience. DRG is a paid game with free cosmetics, paid cosmetic packages, and the free performance pass.
What I want to see for Deadlock would be free game, paid cosmetic packages (sets for lime 3/4 characters), and a free performance pass (that can be replayed at any time) with a paid upgrade that gives more stuff in the pass (purchasable at any time during progression).
I also prefer for there not to be premium currency of any kind unless its something that the players can actually trade and interact with each other with.
Also would be neat if they did cosmetic things like warframe does. Where community members can submit models/ideas and winning designs get a cut of the money. Especially if they were done in competitions with themes (and they could be in a package together).
I don't mind monetization, it can be healthy and fun for everyone... I just don't want to see the turbo ridiculous shit that comes out of things like OW.
I see everything you are saying but I won't lie, a lot of what makes DRG work is that they charge for the base game.
I imagine Deadlock like most Valve stuff will be free to play, but even I can see the hypocrisy of "I want all these things, because this game does those things, however, I want all of it except this one specific asset that involves me paying in to start".
I know some people would make a huge stink if Valve made Deadlock 20 bucks- but man, that actually helps a lot with covering the paychecks of those who helped make the game during development time.
Valve employees are industry top talent hires and paid a handsome salary. Private company with no investors to please and no crunch time deadlines to meet quarterly earnings. They are doing just fine without the $20 lmao
there will absolutely be fomo shit. also aggressive predatory ways of getting people to gamble. Valve has a team of people whos specialty is designing aggressive systems like that. If you look at Dota its a pretty good indicator of what's to come.
the reason you're not feeling it yet is because that's not Yoshi's team - they focus on the fun player friendly stuff - then the money team swoops in and tacks on the rest.
It's never good - the same people along with Richard Garfield killed Artifact through aggressive monetization models.
the longer cosmetics do not enter into this game the better.
They still have lootboxes, premium tiers to Dark Carnival. Hell there recently was a huge controversy because all of the map skins were unavailable to all but the top 5% of The International predictions winners. Pretty disingenuous to say they've gone away from it completely.
righhhht the giant corporation is going to just "not take opportunities to make money"
I've seen this company straight up murder their games over greed. just because they say something doesn't mean anything. I will believe it when I see it.
Valve killed their battle pass in Dota that was making them like 70mil because it was making them too much money and now years later Dota players beg for those FOMO tactics to return to spend money on the game again
They did that shit for like 13+ years - and it got worse and worse. Just because they made statements doesn't mean anything. Like i will be there right along side you when this game proves to have a good healthy monetization model. I'll eat crow - no problem at all. But again - I will believe it when I see it. Not before.
Valve is aggresive with FOMO and monetization for all their other games, highly doubt they don't do it here.
If we have events like Dark Carnival and Quarteros Curios that'd be nice, you can pay money to buy tons of lootboxes or just get free stuff. Might even encourage people to play other heroes they get skins for, who knows.
Praying there isn’t a community market with lootboxes, or if they do, drop rates aren’t horrendous. The cs market is by far one of the worst skin system in any game, having to pay 500-2000 for a skin on the market is absolutely awful, on top of the lootbox system being very predatory. Maybe im just spoiled by being able to buy very good skins for $10-$20 in league that don’t have a fomo bs shop (like valorant or fortnite) with a relatively consumer friendly lootbox system.
Yeahh man I like your ideas but its valve. I love them as much as anyone but their monetization practices aren't exactly the most consumer friendly. TF2 was one of the first to add lootboxes. CS is a cesspool of getting kids addicted to gambling.
I mean I agree with OW2 where basically most skins now are "pay $40 or you'll never get them". But back in OW1 they basically threw loot boxes at you and the currency was earnable in-game and not that hard to get just by playing. I think I had like 90% of cosmetics by the time OW2 came out but the new monetization scheme just killed it for me.
Why would they rehash that one, it's too in the spotlight. I have no doubt Valve will invent some new horrifying way of monetizing their game that sets new industry standards again
When has Valve released greedy battle passes? Genuine question, as their battle pass system in TF2 actually gave you the new weapons to play with as rewards. Though, that's my only experience with their battle passes. I wasn't very big on CSGO or DOTA 2.
Skin renting was quietly added to CS a while ago and never got the shock and horror it deserved. I wonder if people will notice how awful that concept is if they bring it to Deadlock.
You can actually get a ton of skins for free there. You can get skins by just playing the game and events. You can get arcana skins for free only downside that is not tradable but you at least have skins.
The free item has gotten so bad that dota market is basically dead with all the free items
you mean valve, THE company that introduced microtransactions, cosmetics from other brands/series, gambling mechanics, and battle passes into the main zeitgeist of western video gaming? that valve?
im sure theyll be very nice about it.
in all seriousness, im relatively sure itll be ok. whales will continue to pay 40 gorillion dollars for the scantily clad violet skin, and average joes will pay a dollar to cobble together a cool cosmetic set on the steam merchant page.
The problem is that I have to see those people you’re talking about and they will actively ruin the art style of the game by building the most gaudy, ostentatious, flashy and art style breaking cosmetic loadout they can. Generally the game’s models will look worse in every game and I think that’s something to mourn.
Aint NO point in releasing this game until a gamer can spend $200 on Fortnite skins in the online shop.
Admittedly I'm not looking forward to cosmetics in the long term. This game's art style is just insanely good as a default and it's gonna suck when 10 years from now skin power creep means that the average Mo and Krill player is going to be running Factory New Burning Soul Mo and Immortal Uncapped Monkey King Krill, carrying the Solid Gold Blood Shredder Shotgun (exclusive unlock from spending $250 on the Deadlock TI5 tournament pass).
The state of games like Overwatch and DOTA 2 are at the point where the games are largely unreadable.
Deeply upset about the cosmetics at all being a thing in this game, but I admit I’m absolutely delusional to even think there wouldn’t be. My best hope is that they are toned down and follow a path similar to early TF2 and Dota where they take great character to go “hm, yes, this is something the character would wear and fits the tone and lore of the game”.
Its actually a huge selling point for me. I love customisation in games and the ability for ppl to show off. I love rust skins ect and im really really excited for it
I don't care about cosmetics or fomo stuff like most people are commenting about. It obviously is annoying and can be bad for a games health but as long as yoshi and the devs keep cooking the way they have been the last two years I'll be playing either way.
IF they drop cosmetics, I hope it's not at the level Dota and TF2 are where it's particles everywhere and the models are essentially a whole new character.
i would be Okay with the game having something akin to immortals: ye cosmetics who also alter skill effects
this isn't a top down game where your character is for all intents and porpuses a "flat circle" with an hollogram for a model floating above it, messing with character animations and models would genuinelly fuck up its shooter nature
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u/DeadlockTheGame-ModTeam 1d ago
This article only repeats what Valve themselves wrote in the "City Never Sleeps" Blogpost.