Deadlock update hits #1 on Steam, breaks concurrent player record

Valve dropped a major update for Deadlock, its in-development MOBA hero shooter, and the game immediately shot to #1 on Steam's most-played list. The patch broke the game's concurrent player record, according to IGN.

The update's specifics aren't detailed in the report, but the immediate spike shows Valve's still-in-beta shooter is pulling serious numbers. Deadlock's been in invite-only testing for months, so hitting the top of the Steam charts — ahead of Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and the usual suspects — is notable momentum.

This is worth watching if you're into competitive shooters. Valve doesn't ship many new games, but when they do, they tend to stick around. The MOBA-shooter hybrid formula (think Overwatch meets Dota) could carve out a lane if the performance holds up and the ranked ecosystem takes off.

If you're testing Deadlock and chasing higher framerates, run a fresh playbook to see where your rig stands.