Deadlock footage leak seems to confirm rumored character, gameplay details

Valve’s in-development hero shooter Deadlock has had gameplay footage leaked today with many of the rumored features and characters, including the much-discussed monorail-like transport system, revealed for the first time.

The clip, posted by insider PlayerIGN on X (formerly Twitter) on May 22, shows a small preview of Deadlock in its current early alpha. The player is seen using a zipline that runs around the ceiling of the map, which looks to be a fantasy-steampunk-like version of New York. The footage was recorded in a “Hero Training” mode without enemy players or AI bots.

The HUD display also shows a four-lane setup, seemingly confirming rumors Deadlock drew inspiration from Dota 2 and SMITE in that a team must capture or destroy landmarks leading up to the opposition team’s base. Early leaks dating back to May 17 mention a variety of elements and gameplay pulled from the MOBA genre, and it’s clear in the footage this will certainly be the case as far as Deadlock‘s objectives go.

The character is then seen using up a segmented agility or dodge bar, which has a set cooldown, while the character shoots a steampunk-inspired pistol. We’ve already gotten a look at the character list as well as a deeper dive into Grey Talon, an arrow-wielding hero not unlike Overwatch‘s Hanzo, so we can expect a variety of different weapon types and ammunition to follow.

The tester then closes the lobby and returns to the menu, showing off a few more character screenshots and ability icons. Infernus, Haze, Ivy, Kelvin, and more—all of which were named in the May 21 Insider Gaming leaks—appear in this footage.

We don’t know when this footage was captured, but it is believed to have been taken during a Deadlock test session of an early alpha build. Nevertheless, the preview gave us a little look at the map design and a few models, so Deadlock‘s development seems well underway.

Valve has not confirmed or officially announced Deadlock as yet, nor has any title release date been set, but given the smorgasbord filling the hero shooter genre, including Overwatch and more recently Marvel Rivals, it’s clear the gaming giants want to crack the market once more—just as they did with the highly-successful Team Fortress.