Valve’s next game looks 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 Impasse is in closed alpha and the announcement seems imminent.

The game has apparently been in the works since 2018 with IceFrog, a developer synonymous with the original Dota mod, responsible. This is reported to have happened with Neon Primary project that there is a rumor for several years. Tyler McVicker, a veteran Valve reporter, and content creator Gabe Follower confirmed this week that the game is in an advanced state of development.

“In terms of scope,” says McVicker, “this is meant to be Valve’s next big racing game. The next Counter-Strike. The next Dota.” He describes it as Valve’s attempt to unite the company’s various gaming communities, with MOBA precision weaponry and laning objectives. McVicker describes it as looking “like Valorant, Overwatch, Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2 had a baby.”

The new title is apparently based on a “fantasy setting mixed with steampunk,” a marked shift from previous reports on the project that described Neon Prime as inspired by science fiction. Gabe Follower posted four screenshots of the X that show something a little more muted than Overwatch and Valorant comparisons can mean.

The images show six-on-six gameplay in four lanes — suggesting a mix of solo lanes and two-on-two action across the map. It also shows “transit lines” that can get players back into lane faster, such as League of Legends‘ hexagonal gates. McVicker says these transit lines were inspired by BioShock: InfiniteThe Sky-Hook System.

Outside Counter-Strike 2 and Half-Life: Alyx, it’s been a heck of a long time since Valve released an all-new, wide-ranging title, and it’s been even longer since the company released an all-new IP. McVicker says Impasse it’s currently in closed alpha, with “hundreds” of people playing. Of course, this is Valve, so it’s never too late to kill a project. But since June is traditionally a big month for video game news, it’s not impossible that we’ll hear something official soon.