Valve Game Deadlock Surpassed Player Record

The title reached a new high of 262,145 concurrent players on Steam, eclipsing the record previously held by Team Fortress 2.

Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in eSports

Valve Game Deadlock Surpassed Player Record

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Valve's Deadlock game reached a peak of 262,145 concurrent players on Steam on October 9, 2026. This milestone moved the title past the long-standing record of 253,997 concurrent players held by Team Fortress 2.

Why it matters

The surge in players highlights the growing momentum of the invite-only playtest that has expanded with frequent hero additions and balancing updates since 2024. The game now ranks as the third-most-popular Valve title on Steam based on peak concurrent figures.

Deadlock reached a peak of 262,145 concurrent players on Steam, topping the Team Fortress 2 record of 253,997. This total follows a steady climb from earlier 2024 figures and recent peak levels of 228,086 recorded in late September.

The players

Valve

The video game developer and publisher is the creator of the Steam platform and major titles like Deadlock, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2.

Solomon

The character was added to the playable roster of the game Deadlock on October 9, 2026.

Rat King

The hero was added to the playable roster of the game Deadlock on October 2, 2026.

The details

Valve has supported the game through two years of content expansion and balancing, including a release cycle that introduces two new heroes every week based on community votes. Recent updates, such as the City Never Sleeps release and the addition of the hero Rat King, have contributed to the recent surge.

August 2024: Deadlock playtest launched.
July 13, 2023: Team Fortress 2 reached its record peak.
Late September 2026: City Never Sleeps update release.
October 2, 2026: Rat King hero became playable.
October 9, 2026: Deadlock set new concurrent player record.

Season Trajectory

Deadlock has risen to become the third-most-popular Valve game, trailing only Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 in historical peak concurrent players. This growth trajectory indicates a significant shift in the competitive balance among titles hosted on the Steam platform.

The rise to 262,145 concurrent players establishes Deadlock as a major competitor in the Valve ecosystem for player time and engagement. This shift marks the first time Team Fortress 2 has been surpassed in peak concurrent records by this new title.

The takeaway

The sustained growth of Deadlock demonstrates how iterative playtesting and community-driven content cycles can build a massive player base before a full launch. Players interested in the title should continue participating in the playtest to influence future hero releases.