Deadlock reached an all-time Steam peak of 262,145 concurrent players on Oct. 9, 2026, exceeding Team Fortress 2’s peak of 253,997, recorded on July 13, 2023. Solomon, a chess-themed hero, was reported to have arrived on the same day as Deadlock’s record.
Valve’s game has now passed a milestone that NeoTeo covered in its earlier report on Deadlock’s City Never Sleeps update. The two all-time Steam records were set more than three years apart.
Deadlock’s Steam peak passes Team Fortress 2’s record
| Game | All-time concurrent players on Steam | Record date |
| Deadlock | 262,145 | Oct. 9, 2026 |
| Team Fortress 2 | 253,997 | July 13, 2023 |
What the peak comparison means
Deadlock’s listed peak is 8,148 players higher, or about 3.2% above Team Fortress 2’s figure. Both numbers count people playing concurrently on Steam. Steam has grown over time, so peaks recorded years apart are not a controlled comparison of the games’ relative popularity.
Solomon’s reported arrival and Deadlock’s peak share a date: Oct. 9, 2026. That places the hero update alongside the record chronologically.
Solomon’s chess-themed abilities
Solomon’s four named abilities are Setup Bishop, Kingside Knight, Rook Battery, and Develop Queen. The reported kit uses chess pieces to damage or hinder enemies, while Kingside Knight can protect and help an ally move.
- Setup Bishop places a movable bishop that damages and slows enemies; it can later damage diagonal squares.
- Kingside Knight gives an ally a barrier and stamina, or gives Solomon a larger barrier.
- Rook Battery sends two rooks forward to damage and immobilize opponents. They can bounce off walls or split into perpendicular paths.
- Develop Queen, Solomon’s ultimate, deals area damage and can stun enemies. At tier two, it can execute enemy heroes below 200 health.
