Deadlock's City Never Sleeps update arrived on September 29, 2026, bringing six new heroes, a massive Cursed Apple map rework, new neutral camps, and major improvements to the shop and HUD. Wondering which heroes you can play now and when the others will arrive?
As of October 10, Rat King, Baba, and Solomon are already playable, with three more heroes scheduled to arrive by October 20. The limited-time Broker event has also ended.
Deadlock City Never Sleeps Update at a Glance
City Never Sleeps is much more than a balance patch. Valve has updated major parts of Deadlock at the same time, from the streets and neutral camps to the shop, HUD, communication tools, accessibility options, and hero roster.
The result is a version of Deadlock that looks and feels noticeably different as soon as you enter a match. You can read Valve's
official City Never Sleeps overview for the original update announcement.
| Feature |
City Never Sleeps Change |
| Update Release | September 29, 2026 |
| New Heroes | 6 total, 3 currently playable |
| Released Heroes | Rat King, Baba, Solomon |
| Next Hero | October 13, 2026 |
| Final Planned Hero | October 20, 2026 |
| Hero Voting | Players determine the release order |
| Map | Major visual rework and four Districts |
| Neutrals | New Haunt creatures and updated camps |
| The Broker | Limited-time event ended October 2 |
| Other Changes | HUD, shop, pings, dialogue, QoL and accessibility |
| Ranked Season 1 | Extended to November 5, 2026 |
The biggest additions are the six heroes joining the roster throughout October. Three have already arrived, giving players their first chance to experiment with entirely new abilities and builds.
All Six New Deadlock Heroes
City Never Sleeps introduces
six new Deadlock heroes: Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, Solomon, Baba, Violet, and Rat King.
Instead of releasing all six together, Valve is staggering their arrival based on community voting. Three heroes are playable as of October 10, while the remaining three are still waiting for their release slots.
Deadman Danny (Not Yet Released)
Deadman Danny remains one of the three unreleased heroes in the City Never Sleeps voting pool. His official playable ability kit has not yet been revealed, so older experimental information should not be treated as final.
Danny could arrive on October 13, 16, or 20 depending on the remaining voting results.
Nurse Harrow (Not Yet Released)
Nurse Harrow is also waiting for her turn to enter matchmaking. Her visual design is one of the more unusual additions to Deadlock's growing cast, but her complete live ability kit is still unknown.
As with the other unreleased heroes, players will need to wait for her official release before reliable builds and matchup information become available.
Solomon (Released October 9)
Solomon became the third playable City Never Sleeps hero on October 9, 2026. His abilities revolve around a chess theme, letting him control space, protect allies, and disrupt enemies through carefully positioned pieces.
His four abilities are
Setup Bishop, Kingside Knight, Rook Battery, and Develop Queen.
Setup Bishop creates movable bishops that can damage and slow enemies. Kingside Knight provides defensive support, while Rook Battery sends rooks forward to disrupt opponents.
His ultimate, Develop Queen, brings a powerful queen onto the battlefield, dealing damage and stunning enemies in its area. Solomon's kit rewards careful positioning and coordination rather than simply charging into fights.
With his release, the City Never Sleeps rollout has reached its halfway point.
Baba (Released October 6)
Baba became the second playable hero on October 6, 2026, winning a close community vote.
Known as the mysterious pigeon lady of Central Park, Baba brings a mix of magic, mobility, and unconventional attacks. Her abilities include Threadsap, Baba's Brews, and the help of her unusual companions.
Threadsap lets her steal spirit from enemies, while her animated park bench gives her surprising mobility during combat. Her magical brews and birds add even more ways to influence fights.
Baba's unusual movement and ability interactions make her worth practicing before taking her into serious matches.
Violet (Not Yet Released)
Violet is the final unreleased candidate alongside Deadman Danny and Nurse Harrow. Her release depends on the last three rounds of community voting.
Until her official kit becomes playable, players should avoid relying on speculative ability lists or builds based on unfinished development content.
Rat King (Released October 2)
Rat King won the first community vote and released on October 2, 2026. He was the first playable character from the City Never Sleeps hero lineup.
Rat King is a brawler who combines damage, survivability, and team support. His abilities include
Scrap Grenade, Rat Swarm, Royal Pestments, and Rule, Ratannia!.
Scrap Grenade provides bouncing explosive damage, while Rat Swarm attacks enemies and helps weaken their defenses. Royal Pestments improves his ability to survive incoming attacks.
His ultimate places the Banner of Ratannia on the battlefield, giving his team a reason to gather and fight around him.
Rat King has already received balance adjustments since arriving, so players should use current in-game descriptions rather than relying on his original release numbers.
When Do the New Deadlock Heroes Release?
Valve's City Never Sleeps rollout began on
October 2, 2026. The release schedule calls for a new hero every Tuesday and Friday at 2 PM Pacific Time, continuing until all six are playable.
The first three heroes are now confirmed: Rat King, Baba, and Solomon. The next release is scheduled for
Tuesday, October 13, followed by October 16 and October 20.
| Slot |
Release Date |
Hero |
Status |
| 1 | October 2 | Rat King | Released |
| 2 | October 6 | Baba | Released |
| 3 | October 9 | Solomon | Released |
| 4 | October 13 | To Be Decided | Scheduled |
| 5 | October 16 | To Be Decided | Scheduled |
| 6 | October 20 | To Be Decided | Scheduled |
All release times are planned for 2 PM Pacific Time (PDT). The remaining three characters are Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, and Violet, but their exact order has not yet been confirmed.
You can follow the latest character announcements through Valve's
official Deadlock Steam news page.
How the New Deadlock Hero Voting System Works
Valve is letting the community decide which City Never Sleeps hero becomes playable next. Instead of using a fixed release order, players cast votes for their favorite remaining characters.
Voting takes place in the
Pregame lobby before matches, rather than through the old voting terminal in the Hideout.
How to Get More Hero Votes
- Vote before matches: Choose the character you want to see released next in the Pregame lobby.
- Win your matches: Votes from players on the winning team count double.
- Get your first win of the day: This also doubles your votes.
- Stack the bonuses: Winning your first game of the day can give your vote four times its normal impact.
- Keep playing: More matches give you more opportunities to support your preferred hero.
Since Rat King, Baba, and Solomon have already been released, voting now focuses on
Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, and Violet.
Every hero will eventually become playable. The vote only determines who arrives first, so even the character receiving the fewest votes will still receive a release slot.
What Are New Hero Priority Tokens?
City Never Sleeps also introduces
New Hero Priority Tokens to help players select newly released characters when demand is high.
You can earn these tokens through gameplay and assign one to a recently released hero. Doing so increases your chance of receiving that hero during matchmaking, although it does not guarantee selection.
The token is only consumed when you successfully receive the selected hero. Priority Tokens do not influence the community release vote.
The Cursed Apple Has Been Reworked
The hero releases are getting plenty of attention, but the map overhaul is one of the biggest changes affecting every Deadlock player.
Valve has rebuilt major parts of the Cursed Apple with more detailed streets, stronger neighborhood identities, and environmental changes that make the map feel more like an occult version of New York.
Areas affected by the update include Uptown, Times Square, Downtown, Broadway, Umbria University, Central Park, the Brownstones, the Stock Exchange, Old Fairfax Factories, Seaport Dock, and parts of the colored lanes.
The city now has more distinct landmarks, improved visual details, and additional paths or areas to explore. Several locations also contain new objects and neutral enemies that influence how players move around the map.
Four New Districts
Valve has introduced four more clearly defined Districts between the main lanes. Each one has its own visual identity and neutral creatures.
- Theater: A performance-themed area populated by unusual stage-related enemies.
- Chinatown: A redesigned neighborhood with distinctive architecture and supernatural activity.
- Haunted Lot: A strange area filled with unsettling creatures and environmental details.
- Plaza: Another new District with its own neutral encounters and routes.
These are more than visual additions. They change the spaces players travel through while rotating between lanes, farming camps, or escaping enemies.
Even experienced players should spend time learning the new routes instead of assuming the old map knowledge still applies everywhere.
New Neutral Camps and Creatures
City Never Sleeps replaces many of the older neutral enemies with creatures that fit Deadlock's supernatural setting. These new neutral encounters are known as
Haunts.
Players will notice different enemy models, animations, and behaviors when clearing camps. Recognizing these enemies quickly is important for anyone who relies on efficient farming routes.
Main Neutral Types
- Specimen
- Past Dues
- Gutter Ghouls
- Barrel Mimics
The new Districts also contain their own creatures, including Stage Hands, Festival Spirits, Crabbage Pots, Shrooms, and Underhands.
Other New Map Features
The update also adds several smaller gameplay systems that can affect how players move, farm, and recover resources.
Tough Crates require a Heavy Melee attack to destroy but contain additional Souls. They are worth remembering when farming the new areas of the city.
Buff Containers can provide permanent bonuses such as Spirit Resist, Bullet Resist, Ability Range, and Move Speed. These additions give players another reason to explore beyond their usual routes.
Healing Snacks provide health recovery around the map, helping players stay active without always returning to base.
Steam Vents offer concealment and a small amount of regeneration while you stand in them. They create opportunities to hide, reposition, or prepare an ambush.
The overall result is a city with more interactive elements and additional decisions outside direct combat.
The Broker and Corrupted Items
The Broker was one of the most unusual additions in the City Never Sleeps update. However,
he is no longer available in Standard or Ranked matches as of October 2, 2026.
Valve introduced him as a temporary merchant who could transform powerful items into Corrupted versions. His appearance was deliberately limited to the opening days of City Never Sleeps.
How Did The Broker Work?
During the event, The Broker offered modified versions of high-tier items with stronger benefits and additional drawbacks.
His first shipment became available around the 30-minute mark, with additional Corrupted Items appearing roughly every 15 minutes afterward.
The catch was that each Corrupted Item carried a randomly selected negative attribute. The exact effects varied between matches, but players within the same match received the same item modifiers.
This created an extra late-game decision. A Corrupted Item might offer a major advantage, but the negative effect could make it unsuitable for certain heroes or builds.
Is The Broker Still Available?
No. The Broker left Standard and Ranked on October 2, when Rat King became playable.
Corrupted Items also appeared in Street Brawl's fifth round during the initial update, but that feature was removed on October 4.
The Broker was always described as a visitor who comes and goes. He may return in a future update, but Valve has not confirmed a new appearance date.
HUD, Shop and Ping Changes
City Never Sleeps introduces major improvements to the information players receive during matches. These changes make it easier to understand combat situations and communicate with teammates.
The updated
Event Feed provides clearer information about kills, objectives, and rewards. It can display which ability or item caused a kill, show bounty information, and remind players about dropped Soul Bags.
Player health bars now provide more details, including hero names, stamina, ultimate availability, and other useful combat information.
The Shop Has Been Reworked
The shop interface now keeps more important match information visible while you buy items. Players can follow the Kill Feed, chat, and scoreboard with less interruption.
Major Shop Improvements
- Popular Items: See commonly purchased items using live player data.
- Purchase Timing: Check when other players typically buy an item during a match.
- Item Filters: Narrow down items by stats and effects.
- Improved Search: Find the items you want more quickly.
- Better Navigation: Move between shop categories with improved controls.
- Build Previews: Browse and inspect builds more easily.
- Build Copying: Copy and paste builds instead of rebuilding everything manually.
- Category Management: Resize and organize build categories more efficiently.
These changes should make item selection easier for both new and experienced players. Popular Items can help with unfamiliar heroes, although they should not replace learning what each item actually does.
Pings Are Much More Detailed
Valve has expanded Deadlock's communication system with
more than 15,000 new or updated ping lines and variations.
Players can now ping additional objects around the world, including Troopers, neutral enemies, ziplines, the Rift, Bridge Buffs, shops, and more.
Items can also be pinged directly from the shop to tell teammates what you plan to buy or what you already own.
Enemy pings provide useful information about low health, death status, and approaching respawns. The minimap also includes more detailed communication options for coordinating team movements.
These improvements make voice communication less essential for conveying basic information, especially when playing with unfamiliar teammates.
Deadlock Has Thousands of New Voice Lines
City Never Sleeps is also a major world-building update, adding significantly more dialogue and personality to Deadlock's characters.
Before the update, the game contained more than 700 pre-match conversations between heroes. That number has now increased to approximately
1,500 conversations.
Valve has also added
more than 10,000 new non-ping voice lines, giving characters more reactions and interactions during gameplay.
A new
Dialogue Player lets players explore these conversations outside regular matches, making it easier to discover character interactions and background lore.
Combined with the redesigned city, the new dialogue makes Deadlock's world feel more complete and gives players more reasons to explore its characters beyond their combat abilities.
What City Never Sleeps Means for Ranked Players
City Never Sleeps changes the Ranked experience in several ways. The map overhaul requires players to relearn certain routes, while the new heroes introduce matchups that did not exist before.
Players who already know their farming patterns, lane rotations, escape routes, and neutral timings should revisit those areas. Even small changes can affect how safely you farm or how quickly you can rotate to a fight.
There have also been important changes to the Ranked schedule and how newly released heroes can be selected.
New Heroes Have a Temporary Ranked Exception
Deadlock's normal Ranked eligibility rules require
60 Standard wins on your account and at least
three heroes with 15 Standard wins each.
However, newly released City Never Sleeps heroes are temporarily exempt from the individual 15-win requirement. This allows eligible Ranked players to use the latest heroes during their initial release window.
The exception does not mean those heroes count toward the three normally unlocked heroes required to enter Ranked. Players still need to satisfy the account and roster requirements.
The exemption is temporary, and its exact expiration has not been confirmed. The standard 15-win rule remains important for normal hero eligibility.
You can read our complete
Deadlock Ranked Update guide for more information about unlocking Ranked, hero requirements, and the ranking system.
Ranked Season 1 Has Been Extended
Valve also announced an extension to the first Ranked season alongside Baba's release on October 6.
Ranked Season 1 now ends on November 5, 2026, instead of the originally planned October 7 date. The next Ranked season is scheduled to begin immediately afterward.
This gives players additional time to improve their rank while adapting to the new heroes and map changes.
The staggered releases will continue to affect Ranked matchmaking as more players experiment with new characters, abilities, and builds.
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What Should You Do First After City Never Sleeps?
There is a lot to learn, but you do not need to memorize every change before playing again. Focus on the systems that directly affect your normal matches.
Seven Things Worth Checking
- Explore the updated map. Check your lane, neutral routes, shops, rotations, and escape paths.
- Learn the new Haunts. Recognize the redesigned neutral camps and practice efficient farming routes.
- Try the released heroes. Rat King, Baba, and Solomon are available, each with a very different playstyle.
- Vote for the remaining heroes. Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, and Violet are still competing for release slots.
- Review the shop. Popular Items, better filters, and build improvements can make shopping much faster.
- Update your HUD and settings. Explore the improved pings, interface information, and accessibility options.
- Prepare for Ranked. Take advantage of the extended season and understand the temporary new-hero eligibility exception.
You no longer need to plan around The Broker in Standard or Ranked matches, since that event has ended.
The most important next step is learning how the new heroes interact with the redesigned map. Players who adapt quickly will be better prepared as the final three characters join the roster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Deadlock City Never Sleeps update?
City Never Sleeps is a major Deadlock update released on September 29, 2026. It introduces six new heroes, community voting, a major Cursed Apple map overhaul, redesigned neutral enemies, The Broker event, HUD and shop improvements, and thousands of new voice lines.
How many new heroes are in City Never Sleeps?
There are six:
Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, Solomon, Baba, Violet, and Rat King.
Which City Never Sleeps heroes are available now?
As of October 10, 2026, three heroes are playable:
Rat King, Baba, and Solomon. The remaining three are scheduled for release later in October.
Are all six new Deadlock heroes available immediately?
No. Valve is releasing the six heroes gradually according to community voting results. Three have already been released.
When did the first City Never Sleeps hero release?
Rat King was the first hero and released on
October 2, 2026.
Who was the second City Never Sleeps hero?
Baba won the second vote and became playable on
October 6, 2026.
Who was the third City Never Sleeps hero?
Solomon became the third playable hero on
October 9, 2026. His abilities revolve around chess pieces, positioning, team protection, and area control.
When does the next Deadlock hero release?
The fourth City Never Sleeps hero is scheduled for
October 13, 2026, at 2 PM Pacific Time. The character will be determined by community voting.
How often do new Deadlock heroes release?
During City Never Sleeps, Valve plans to release two heroes per week on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2 PM Pacific Time.
Who decides the new hero release order?
Players decide through the Pregame voting system. Votes from the winning team count double, and the first win of the day also provides double voting power.
What are the six City Never Sleeps hero release dates?
The six release slots are October 2, October 6, October 9, October 13, October 16, and October 20, 2026. The first three heroes were Rat King, Baba, and Solomon, respectively.
Did City Never Sleeps change the Deadlock map?
Yes. Large parts of the Cursed Apple received a visual overhaul. Valve also introduced more clearly defined Districts, redesigned neutral camps, new environmental features, and additional resources around the map.
What new neutral enemies were added?
The new Haunts include creatures such as Specimen, Past Dues, Gutter Ghouls, and Barrel Mimics. District-specific enemies include Stage Hands, Festival Spirits, Crabbage Pots, Shrooms, and Underhands.
Who is The Broker in Deadlock?
The Broker was a limited-time merchant introduced with City Never Sleeps. He allowed players to exchange high-tier items for Corrupted versions that combined powerful bonuses with negative properties.
Is The Broker still in Deadlock?
No. The Broker was removed from Standard and Ranked on October 2, 2026. Corrupted Items were also removed from Street Brawl on October 4. Valve has not confirmed when he might return.
Does City Never Sleeps affect Ranked?
Yes. The map and hero roster have changed, and newly released heroes temporarily bypass the usual individual 15-win eligibility requirement. Ranked Season 1 has also been extended to November 5, 2026.
How many Standard wins do you need for Deadlock Ranked?
Normally, you need
60 Standard wins overall, with at least
three heroes having 15 Standard wins each. Newly released heroes currently have a temporary individual hero eligibility exception, but they do not count toward the three normally unlocked heroes needed to queue.
When does Deadlock Ranked Season 1 end?
Valve extended the first Ranked season to
November 5, 2026. The next season is scheduled to begin immediately afterward.
Where can I find more Deadlock services?
You can view all available options on our
Deadlock Boosting page.
