Valve continues to refine its upcoming MOBA shooter Deadlock with a series of rapid-fire updates, addressing player concerns and balancing issues in the closed beta.
The latest changes target two key areas:
New Pause Restrictions
To combat disruptive behavior, Valve has implemented strict limits on the pause function:
- Players can now only pause once per game
- Teams are limited to a maximum of 3 pauses
- The game window will flash when unpausing
This addresses complaints about trolls abusing the pause feature to turn matches into slideshows or engage in mid-fight trash talk.
Hero Balance: Viscous Rollercoaster
The amorphous hero Viscous saw dramatic changes:
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Initial buff (August 29):
- Improved primary fire damage and usability
- New AOE alt-fire mode
- Faster sprint speed
- Buffed Puddle Punch and Goo Ball abilities
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Quick follow-up nerf (September 1):
- Puddle Punch range reduced (60m to 40m)
- Longer Puddle Punch cooldown (28 seconds)
- Reduced enemy knockup from Puddle Punch
- Ammo capacity decreased (24 to 20)
- Alt-fire now costs 5 ammo
These rapid adjustments highlight Valve's commitment to fine-tuning hero balance, even if it means quickly reversing course on changes.
Ongoing Development
With Deadlock still in closed beta, players can expect continued tweaks to heroes, mechanics, and systems. Valve has acknowledged issues with the current MMR-based matchmaking and plans further improvements.
The game maintains a healthy player base of around 50,000 concurrent testers on Steam, building anticipation for an eventual full release.