Valve’s next game appears to be Deadlock, a MOBA hero shooter

According to two content creators, the wait for a new Valve game is almost over: a third-person hero shooter called Dead end is in closed alpha and an announcement seems imminent.

The game has apparently been in the works since 2018, with IceFrog, a developer synonymous with the original. Dota mod, supported. This is apparently what became of the Neon Prime project which there have been rumors for a couple of years. Tyler McVicker, a veteran Valve journalist, and content creator Gabe Follower, both independently confirmed this week that the game is in an advanced state of development.

“In terms of scope,” McVicker says, “this is supposed to be Valve’s next major competitive game. The next Counter-Strike. The next Dota. He describes it as an attempt by Valve to bring together the various gaming communities of the company, with precise gunplay and the lane objectives of a MOBA. McVicker describes it as “like.” Valorant, Monitoring, Dota 2 And Team Fortress 2 had a baby.”

The new title is apparently based on a “fantasy setting mixed with steampunk”, a marked change from previous reports on the project which described Neon Prime as if inspired by science fiction. Gabe Follower posted four screenshots on X that show something a little more discreet than the Monitoring And Valorant comparisons might involve.

The footage shows six-on-six gameplay across four lanes, suggesting a mix of solo lanes and two-on-two action on the map. It also shows “transport lines” that can get players back on track faster, like League of Legends” hexagonal doors. McVicker says these transit lines are inspired by BioShock InfiniteThe Sky-Hook system from .

Apart from Counter-Strike 2 And Half-life: Alyx, it’s been a very long time since Valve released a brand new title on a large scale, and it’s been even longer since the company released a brand new IP. McVicker says Dead end is currently in closed alpha, with “hundreds” of people playing. Of course, this is Valve, so it’s never too late for the project to be killed. But since June is traditionally a big month for video game news, it’s not impossible that we’ll hear something official soon.