Valve's MOBA hero shooter, Deadlock, remains in an exclusive invite-only testing phase, with the company actively refining and iterating on the game. However, a recent livestream blunder appears to have accidentally unveiled the existence of a second, even more secretive playtest, featuring previously unseen characters and redesigns.
The leak originated from a livestream hosted by a prominent Deadlock player, who inadvertently opened the wrong version of the game on stream, as reported by Eurogamer. The footage captured by viewers showcased new characters, including the retro-themed Doorman, the bespectacled Bookworm, and the gothic Vampirebat, alongside visual updates for existing characters like Ivy. Although the streamer quickly corrected their mistake, the cat was already out of the bag.
Despite the freshness of the leak, no additional information has surfaced yet. Deadlock is no stranger to leaks, having been the subject of numerous ones regarding its existence and content. While the concept of a test build for a broader audience to explore upcoming updates isn't new, it's somewhat surprising for Deadlock, which is still in its early, invite-only stage.
Reactions on the r/DeadlockTheGame subreddit are mixed, with some players feeling frustrated about being left out of this new playtest. Deadlock has undergone various changes, both big and small, including the removal of an entire lane from the game. Valve has previously utilized the Hero Labs mode to allow players to test new heroes, but this seems to be an additional method for testing with a select group.
Despite its exclusivity, Deadlock has attracted a significant number of players and garnered attention from fans of both shooters and MOBAs. The unusual rollout and continued invite-only status have only heightened the game's mystique. Now, the revelation of an even more exclusive build adds another layer of intrigue for players to ponder.
However, it's crucial to maintain perspective on what's truly important, as one Reddit user humorously noted: "Oh great, as if one Lash wasn't bad enough, now there are two of him!"
