Deadlock’s six latest heroes lose new status and become eligible for bans

Valve has removed the special new-hero classification from Deadlock’s six most recently added characters. The October 30 patch makes them eligible for bans and applies the normal hero-unlocking requirements for ranked play.

The change is listed in the General section of Valve’s gameplay update. An accessible copy is available in the Deadlock Wiki patch archive.

What changes in hero selection

The rule removes the exemption attached to their new status. Players can now encounter bans affecting those heroes, and access to them in ranked follows the standard unlocking process.

It is also distinct from the additional ban adopted by Night Shift and 1Win. Tournament organizers changed their draft format; Valve’s patch changes which heroes are eligible under the game’s own selection rules. The two announcements should not be treated as the same change.

The update does not establish which of the six will attract the most bans. Any ranking of their popularity or impact needs a comparable statistical sample collected after the rule took effect.