Deadlock release date: Valve still says to be announced, and the last City Never Sleeps hero arrives Oct. 20

Deadlock is still a playtest, but Valve is updating it as if launch were around the corner. Here’s where things stand.

When does Deadlock come out?

Valve hasn’t said. The game’s Steam page lists the release date as to be announced and describes Deadlock as a multiplayer game in early development, with lots of temporary art and experimental gameplay. The only platform listed is Windows.

Access is still invite only. Valve says it’s limited to friend invites from existing playtesters, so if a friend already plays, that friend can send you an invite on Steam. Valve hasn’t announced pricing or a console version.

What’s in the City Never Sleeps update?

Valve released City Never Sleeps on Sept. 29, 2026, with a big visual update to the map and its neutral enemies, HUD changes, quality-of-life additions, accessibility options and six new heroes. Players vote on which hero comes next, and Valve has been adding two a week.

So far, the Rat King joined on Oct. 2, Baba on Oct. 6, Solomon on Oct. 9, Deadman Danny on Oct. 13 and Violet on Oct. 16. The final hero, Nurse Harrow, arrives on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. PT, which is 5 p.m. ET. Valve has also shipped balance patches along the way, most recently on Oct. 14.

What is Valve working on next?

In its City Never Sleeps post, Valve said it had been working on several parts of the game in parallel in 2026. That includes progression and hero and hideout customization, which it wants to adjust based on feedback before the game is fully released. More speculative work includes large item redesigns and alternate game modes, which Valve said may or may not ship depending on playtesting.

Valve also named the Midboss, Guardians and Walkers as things it will focus on in upcoming updates, and said hero remodels were planned for later in early development, though it will likely start on them gradually. None of that comes with a date.

How has Deadlock changed this year?

Before City Never Sleeps, Valve added a set of heroes in early 2026, starting with Rem on Jan. 26 and ending with Apollo on Feb. 12, and followed with gameplay updates in March, April and May and a matchmaking update on July 30. For other games still in early access, see our Hytale release date page, and for the bigger releases due next year, our upcoming games of 2027 list.

This page is updated as soon as Valve announces a Deadlock release date, open access or its next major update.