Valve Bans Media Outlet Over Deadlock Game Leak

Valve and The Verge are currently at odds. Although the situation hasn’t escalated to legal action, Valve has banned the tech site from participating in a "secret" closed beta for a new MOBA game, which was meant to be confidential but is now widely known.

Here’s the background: Data miners have been leaking details about Valve’s secret project, which has had at least three codenames – Neon Prime, Citedel, and now Deadlock. This MOBA is said to blend elements from popular games like Dota 2, Team Fortress 2, and Overwatch. Despite being unannounced, gameplay footage and other details have already surfaced, making it an open secret.

Recently, Valve significantly increased the number of participants in its closed beta, with estimates ranging from 12,000 to 16,000 concurrent players. One of these invites went to Sean Hollister, a founding member and Senior Editor at The Verge, who then published an exposé on the game.

Hollister clarified that he didn’t sign any NDA or other agreements, and the invitation didn’t include an embargo notice. He expressed his belief that Deadlock is a legitimate Valve game, noting the presence of Valve’s logo and legal notices in the game files.

His article included gameplay descriptions, screenshots, and a gif of a zipline mechanic. Shortly after, Valve fans reacted strongly, accusing The Verge of breaching an NDA, although no formal agreement was in place. Some pointed to an "informal NDA" popup in the game, but Hollister noted that this was more of a request than a binding contract.

Valve’s decision to invite 12,000 to 16,000 players and suggest they invite friends contradicts the claim of keeping the development secret. Fellow Senior Editor Tom Warren defended Hollister on Twitter, affirming that the invitation had no legal constraints and that the popup could be bypassed.

Despite these defenses, Valve banned Hollister from the beta without providing a reason. Hollister humorously updated his article, noting that he had been banned from matchmaking.

According to Forbes, while The Verge’s actions were legally permissible given the absence of a formal NDA, the dispute highlights the challenges of reporting on unannounced projects. It remains to be seen if Valve will impose further sanctions or exclude The Verge from future previews.