Stat trackers are a staple in competitive gaming, offering players insights into performance, hero pick rates, win rates, and player history. However, with the launch of Valve’s latest MOBA shooter, Deadlock, it appears the developers are not ready to fully embrace third-party tracking sites. Valve is actively curbing access to these trackers, which has impacted platforms like Tracklock.gg.
In a recent Discord announcement, an admin from Tracklock stated that Valve has implemented stricter rate limits, resulting in no new game data being tracked since September 2 (UTC). Tracklock.gg, a popular site for Deadlock stats, will now need to adjust its services due to this change.
While stat trackers are generally seen as vital, the Deadlock community appears to support Valve’s decision. The reason behind this is linked to concerns about early statistics misleading players, potentially affecting gameplay choices and creating biases.
The question remains: Will Valve eventually open the door to stat tracking, or will they continue to limit access to preserve the competitive balance?
Deadlock Community Accepts Decision
The Deadlock community seems to support Valve’s decision to limit access to stat trackers during the game’s beta phase. In a Tracklock Discord announcement, the admin acknowledged, “This game is in beta, and they clearly aren’t ready for stats sites yet.” The Tracklock team plans to use this downtime to improve its features, preparing for a future when Valve may open the door for stat trackers.
As Deadlock is still in early development with no official release date, the lack of stat trackers might actually benefit the player base. Too many early stats could skew player preferences toward certain heroes, based on popularity rather than playstyle suitability. This could particularly harm beginners, who might pick heroes based on early meta trends rather than what fits their own skills.
Additionally, since the game’s heroes will undergo adjustments during the invite-only playtest phase, stats like win rates or pick rates wouldn’t present an accurate reflection of balance. Limiting stats until these balances are ironed out may help ensure the game evolves naturally without undue influence.
What are your thoughts on Valve’s approach to cutting off stat trackers from Deadlock during the playtest? Should stat tracking be available in this early phase, or is Valve’s decision justified? Let us know in the comments!
0 Comments