The Deadlock video game, developed by Valve Corporation, consists of 38 playable characters. Initially, the game had 21 playable characters upon its publication in August 2024. As of January 2026, the total number of characters has increased to 38 after a series of major updates.
Overview
editDeadlock is a video game in-development created by Valve Corporation.[1] Its development allegedly started in 2018,[2] and was leaked to the public in May 2024 by playtesters.[3][4] Valve published the Steam page for the game in August 2024,[5] with it being invite-only.[1][6] The game is only available on personal computers and is in alpha stage of development.[1]
Upon its publication in August 2024, the game featured 21 playable characters.[7] In January 2025, it was reported that Deadlock had 26 characters.[8] In an August 2025 update, Valve added six more characters, increasing the number of characters to 32.[9] In a January 2026 update, six more characters were introduced.[10]
Creation and conception
editEvery character in Deadlock has four abilities.[citation needed]
Characters
editAbrams
editAbrams was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include reducing health from opponents who are located near Abrams, named "Siphon" in-game, charging towards players and dragging them around, named "Shoulder Charge", regenerating damage over time, named "Infernal Resilience", and jumping high into the air and crashing into the ground, named "Seismic Impact". Regarding "Seismic Impact", once Abrams crashes into the ground, opponents located near Abrams will be damaged and prevented briefly from moving.[7]
Bebop
editBebop was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include dealing melee damage and pushing them back, named "Exploding Uppercut", attaching a sticky bomb to a nearby opponent that deals damage, named "Sticky Bomb", launching a hook that grabs players, named "Hook", and charging up a laser that deals damage to opponents, named "Hyper Beam". Regarding "Hyper Beam", Bebop will also levitate in the air while performing the ability.[7]
Dynamo
editDynamo was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include releasing an energy pulse that sends opponents flying, named "Kinetic Pulse", briefly disappearing from players, named "Quantum Entaglement", restoring health for himself and other teammates around, named "Rejuvenating Aurora", and pulling opponents towards Dynamo and subsequently damaging them and sending them into the air, named "Singularity".[7]
Grey Talon
editGrey Talon was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include piercing through enemies with a bow, named "Charged Shot", gliding through the air, named "Rain of Arrows", creating a trap that stuns players, named "Immobilizing Trap", and launching a "spirit owl" that can be controled; it explodes when touching an opponent. The last ability is named "Guided Owl".[7]
Haze
editHaze was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include throwing a dagger that damages opponents, named "Sleep Dagger", increasing her movement speed and becoming invisible, named "Smoke Bomb", increasing bullet damage, named "Fixation", and a "flurry" that enables Haze to damage opponents with perfect accuracy, named "Bullet Dance".[7]
Infernus
editInfernus was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include slowing the movement speed of opponents, named "Catalyst", moving at high speed and leaving a burning trail behind, named "Flame Dash", shooting burning bullets at opponents, named "Afterburn", and turning himself into a bomb, named "Concussive Combustion".[7]
Ivy
editIvy was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include summoning vines that damage opponents, named "Kudzu Bomb", connecting with a teammate, named "Watcher's Covenant", turning herself into a stone monument which smashes into the ground, named "Stone Form", and flying with a teammate or a bomb, named "Air Drop".[7]
Kelvin
editKelvin was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include throwing an ice bomb, named "Frost Grenade", creating a floating ice trail that increases movement speed, named "Ice Path", shooting icey formations, named "Arctic Beam", and freezing the air around Kelvin, named "Frozen Shelter".[7]
Lady Geist
editLady Geist was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include launching a bomb while her health decreases, named "Essence Bomb", decreasing health of opponents and increasing her health, named "Life Drain", launching "blood shards" towards opponents while her health decreases, named "Malice", and swapping health with an opponent, named "Soul Exchange".[7]
Lash
editLash was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include include stomping the ground and damaging opponents near Lash, named "Ground Strike", jumping into the air and heading towards an opponent, named "Grapple", attacking opponents with a whip, named "Flog", and lifting and stunning opponents, named "Death Slam".[7]
McGinnis
editMcGinnis was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include deploying a turret that shoots opponents, named "Mini Turret", healing nearby units, named "Medicinal Specter", creating a wall, named "Spectral Wall", and sending rockets towards a location, named "Heavy Barrage".[7]
Mo & Krill
editMo & Krill were introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Their abilities include dealing damage towards opponents and receiving the same number of health points that the opponent lost, named "Scorn", digging underground, named "Burrow", disarming opponents and dealing damage towards them, named "Sand Blast", and stunning opponents, named "Combo".[7]
Paradox
editParadox was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include throwing grenades, named "Pulse Grenade", creating a "time-warping wall" that disables enemy projectiles, named "Time Wall", increasing her movement speed while her weapon charges, named "Kinetic Carbine", and swapping positions with an opponent, named "Paradoxical Swap".[7]
Pocket was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Their abilities include launching projectiles that deal damage and decrease movement speed, named "Barrage", launching a "cloak" that damages opponents, named "Flying Cloak", temporary escaping from the map, named "Enchanter's Satchel", and progressively dealing damage to all nearby opponents, named "Affliction".[7]
Seven
editSeven was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include shooting an energy ball, named "Lightning Ball", damaging and stunning opponents around him, named "Static Charge", shocking opponents with bullets, named "Power Surge", and damaging opponents with a storm cloud, named "Storm Cloud".[7]
Shiv
editShiv was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include throwing a knife that damages an opponents and slows them down, named "Serrated Knives", damaging players while dashing forward, named "Slice and Dice", "Bloodletting", and "Killing Blow".[7]
Vindicta
editVindicta was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include "Stake", "Flight", "Crow Familiar", and "Assassinate".[7]
Warden
editWarden was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include "Alchemical Flash", "Willpower", "Binding Word", and "Last Stand".[7]
Wraith
editWrait was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include "Card Trick", "Project Mind", "Full Auto", and "Telekinesis".[7]
Yamato
editYamato was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. Her abilities include "Power Slash", "Flying Strike", "Crimson Slash", and "Shadow Transformation".[7]
Viscous
editViscous was introduced in Deadlock upon its publication in August 2024. His abilities include "Splatter", "The Cube", "Puddle Punch", and "Goo Ball".[7]
Mirage
editCalico
editHolliday
editSinclair
editVyper
editMina
editBilly
editThe Doorman
editPaige
editDrifter
editVictor
editRem
editGraves
editSilver
editVenator
editCeleste
editApollo
editReception
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 Hollister, Sean (August 13, 2024). "We Played Valve's Secret New Shooter, Deadlock". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 21, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ↑ Purdy, Kevin (May 17, 2024). "Leaks From Valve's Deadlock Look Like A Pressed Sandwich Of Every Game Around". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on June 11, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ↑ Parrish, Ash (May 17, 2024). "Valve's Next Game May Have Just Leaked". The Verge. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ↑ Park, Morgan (May 17, 2024). "Valve's Next Game Rumored To Be A 6V6 Hero Shooter Called Deadlock". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ↑ Peters, Jay; Hollister, Sean (August 24, 2024). "Valve Officially Announces Deadlock, A Game 'In Early Development'". The Verge. Archived from the original on March 5, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ↑ Alston, Harry (August 30, 2025). "Revisiting Deadlock Proves Just How Good Valve Is At Making Games". TheGamer. Archived from the original on April 26, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Samal, Rohan (August 25, 2024). "Here Are All the Deadlock Heroes and Their Abilities". Esports.gg. Archived from the original on August 10, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Hore, Jamie (January 17, 2025). "Deadlock Just Got Four New Heroes At Once As Valve Expands MOBA's Roster To 26". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- ↑ Koselke, Anna (August 19, 2025). "New Deadlock Update Adds Six Heroes And More to Valve's MOBA Shooter, A Mere Month After the Steam Dev Said A Patch "Won't Be Coming For Some Time" to the Limited-Access Game". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ↑ Makar, Connor (January 23, 2026). "Valve's Deadlock Is Still Invite-Only, But That Hasn't Stopped Six New Characters Being Added Via A Major Update". Eurogamer. Retrieved January 23, 2026.