Deadlock adds 6 new heroes in drip-feed community vote update

Valve's MOBA-shooter Deadlock gets its biggest content drop of 2026 on August 18 with 6 new heroes being drip-fed over 2 weeks. Players vote on the release order in-game after each match.

The 6 new heroes

Mina (Spirit, Duelist) — vampire-

themed glass cannon. Released August 18. Can transform into a bat for quick escapes. Her ultimate (Nox Nostra) summons swarms of spirit damage.

Billy (Spirit, Duelist) —

demonic goat. Damage-over-time specialist. Mid-range poke + close-range burst.

Paige (Intellect, Mage) —

bookworm character. Animate books to attack. Control-heavy with high single-target damage.

The Doorman (Strength, Tank) —

a support Tank. Can teleport teammates across the map.

Victor (Strength, Tank) —

"the unstoppable monster". High-HP bruiser with self-healing.

Drifter (Agility, Duelist) —

the agile red-eyed character. Fast assassin with invisibility.

The drip-feed release schedule

Aug 18 (Mon): Mina (Valve-

chosen first hero)

Aug 20 (Wed): Community-voted

1st hero (likely Billy or Paige)

Aug 22 (Fri): Community-voted

2nd hero

Aug 25 (Mon): Community-voted

3rd hero

Aug 27 (Wed): Community-voted

4th hero

Aug 29 (Fri): Community-voted

5th hero

After all 6 are released, Valve ships a balance patch based on usage data from the first 2 weeks.

The community voting

After each match, players are presented with a vote in the new pre-game lobby (the "Hideout"):

The vote asks "Which hero should be

released next?"

The hero with the most votes gets

unlocked next

The voting is server-wide

(not per-region)

The vote closes 1 hour before the

next release

This is the first time a game has used community voting to drive release order. Valve is testing whether the mechanic increases engagement.

The new "Hideout" pre-game lobby

The new pre-game lobby replaces the original starting area. The Hideout:

Is a persistent social hub where

players can interact before and after matches

Includes a voting booth for

the community-vote mechanic

Includes 5 hero demo stations

where you can try out the new heroes

Has a cosmetic shop (the only

paid content in Deadlock)

Has a leaderboard for the

current season

The Hideout is a major UX upgrade. The old starting area was just a character select screen.

Visual overhaul

The August update includes a visual overhaul of the game:

Updated lighting engine (more

dynamic shadows, better ambient occlusion)

New particle effects (for abilities

and item drops)

New character select screen (with

the Hideout background)

Improved UI (cleaner font, better

contrast)

New map textures for all 4 lanes

The visual update brings Deadlock in line with Source 2 (Dota 2's engine) and away from the prototype look.

Why it matters

The August update is Deadlock's first major content drop since the Limited Access launch in May 2025. The game has been in closed beta with weekly small patches; this is the first "big" patch that justifies a full announcement.

Valve is using this update to stress-test the full game loop before the rumored full launch in

If the community voting and

Hideout social features work, the full launch will use them.

What's next

Aug 18: Mina release + Hideout

launch

Aug 20-29: Drip-feed of 5 more

heroes

Sep 5: Post-release balance

patch

Sep 19: Mid-Sept patch (more

heroes?)

Q4 2026: Possible full launch

announcement

FAQ

When does Deadlock exit beta?

TBD. Valve hasn't announced a full launch date, but Q4 2026 is the rumored window.

Is Deadlock free-to-play?

Yes, fully F2P in Limited Access. The only paid content is cosmetic skins in the Hideout shop.

What's the community voting?

After each match, players vote on which of the remaining heroes should be released next. The vote is server-wide and the hero with the most votes is unlocked next.

Is Mina good?

Yes, Mina is the most-meta-defining hero in the update. She's the fastest-bursting Spirit DPS in the game, with the unique ability to transform into a bat for escapes. Expect her in every game.

What is the Hideout?

The new pre-game lobby. A persistent social hub where players can interact, vote, and shop. Replaces the old character select screen.