Deadlock isn’t a MOBA or a third-person shooter anymore—City Never Sleeps has turned it into a horror game
Valve’s Deadlock has undergone a dramatic shift with its City Never Sleeps update, transforming the gameplay experience from a conventional MOBA and third-person shooter into something resembling a horror game. The update has fundamentally altered how players interact with the game’s underground tunnel systems, which were previously relatively safe farming areas for characters like Rem. New and modified characters—notably Calico, along with updated mechanics for Mo and Krill—now actively hunt players in these confined spaces, creating genuine tension and vulnerability where safety once existed. This transformation has recontextualized the game’s feel, replacing the security of established play patterns with psychological pressure and threat. While Deadlock’s mechanical framework remains rooted in MOBA and shooter gameplay, the City Never Sleeps update has shifted the overall player experience toward sustained danger and uncertainty, creating an unexpectedly horror-like atmosphere within the competitive gaming framework.