Deadlock Adds Chess-Themed Hero Solomon as Player Count Tops 262,000 for the First Time

Valve has released a new hero for Deadlock — Solomon, a chess player whose abilities center on pieces, positioning, and area control. The character arrived on October 9 as part of the City Never Sleeps update, while the game simultaneously set a new concurrent player record on Steam.

Solomon is the third of six new heroes, following Rat King and Baba. In the official Valve announcement, the developers describe him as a tactical character who can buff allies and zone out opponents using chess pieces.

Chess Pieces Turned Into Abilities

Solomon features four abilities, each tied to a specific chess piece.

Setup Bishop deploys a bishop that deals damage, slows opponents, and creates diagonal hazard zones. Kingside Knight bolsters an ally with a protective shield and bonus stamina, helping them reposition more safely.

Rook Battery sends forward two rooks that inflict damage and immobilize enemies. They can also bounce off walls to alter their path.

His ultimate ability, Develop Queen, summons a queen that Solomon can direct across the battlefield to repeatedly strike and stun targets.

As a result, the new hero relies far more on thoughtful ability placement than on gunplay alone. His playstyle is built around area denial, ability combinations, and team utility.

Deadlock Breaks Record by Nearly 91,000 Players

Interest in the game surged alongside the City Never Sleeps update. According to SteamDB, Deadlock reached 262,145 concurrent players on October 9 — a new all-time high.

The previous record stood at roughly 171,000 players and was set back in 2024. That puts the new peak roughly 91,000 players higher.

Still, crediting this jump entirely to Solomon would be inaccurate. The player base began climbing ahead of his debut, driven by the major patch, new heroes, and renewed buzz around the title.

Deadlock has not officially launched yet. Valve continues playtesting the game and has not announced a full release date.

The developers plan to roll out the next hero on October 13 at 21:00 UTC. The remaining roster includes Nurse Harrow, Deadman Danny, and Violet, with their release schedule determined by community voting.