Fake player numbers. Infested with fake players and not hitting it for the mass.

[Tighty-Whitey]

Deadlock is not hitting it for the old Valve audience. If you ask any player from the old times, players who bought "Orange Box" or even those who bought games dating back to the early 2000s, most of them all tell you that they don't want another MOBA from Valve. It is quite understandable as for years people have been asking, patiently waiting for new Half-Life installments only to be left near the broken trough, if we were to put the dismay of the players into perspective. Speaking about players, Deadlock is currently filled with fake players, but not those fake players we've seen in Team Fortress 2 for years now, but the players sitting in main menus and doing nothing but inviting more and more users into the game. This makes up for the majority of the Deadlock's playerbase and it is quite problematic. There aren't many actual players who enjoy the game, we are only seeing a tendency of the player count getting boosted only by the people trying to cash-in on the invite system valve have set up. There also should have been more warnings that many players will scam other players for invites and for real money, there should have been a warning that situations like this might occur, but none of it is there, therefore it is quite dangerous. Valve are better off making the game fully available to everyone at that point in time now that everyone knows about it, but no one turned out to want to actually play the game because no one is enjoying the core gameplay due to its flaws.

Update

To put things into perspective, for those unaware, it has been proven countless times that the player numbers in Valve titles are mostly fake. In Team Fortress 2, a game that was plagued by a bot infestation for many years, the game was essentially unplayable and "botted", ruining the experience of players and putting a lot of questions about Valve if they truly cared about the game's state. At some point and that is many years later, the bot infestation issue was fixed, but it only gained traction after the second community mass calls to "fix" Team Fortress 2. This is not the first time the game was plagued by fake players. At some point and that is more than 10 years ago, trading, cases (equivalent to lootboxes) were introduced in Team Fortress 2, which only popularized the monetization aspect of videogames that we see today. Back then, people created specific servers to "farm" for drops that players get randomly through certain intervals of time. They are called "idlers", this is one of the first times if not the first time in history when the farming idlers showed up as players have been trying to do everything they possibly can to get items that could actually cost something. The game was infested with such idlers and they still, to this day persist in both TF2 and CS2.

However, it goes way further than that, as the recent Valve's action to ban bots in Team Fortress 2 still shows that the player count not only was boosted by the bots, but it is entirely fake at the essence. It turns out that the numbers displayed for all Valve titles are simply incorrect and are either simply idlers or user accounts that stay in the main menu and don't actually play the game or, which is a high possibility, someone at Valve exploits and actually changes player count numbers all by themselves to give the illusion to players and other Valve employees that their games are doing fine, so that they wouldn't have to work on new games. (which is a lot harder than supporting an existing game with minor updates) Those Valve employees would then think that games they have, have enough players for them not to make newer games and that they gain just enough money from their existing titles, when in reality, Valve's main revenue is coming from other places and maintaining Steam. It has been proven by many users, even video makers that Team Fortress 2 has fake players. An entire website has been set up that scans for all existing players on all servers, even official servers and it is quite clear by looking at the statistics alone that the game is infested with fake players:

https://teamwork.tf/community/statistics

As we can see here, the numbers of the actual players differ to the players displayed on Steam. If some employee at Valve intentionally alters the player numbers, then this is a pretty big scam to program players to think that the game is popular and it gives said players enough dopamine and "confidence" just by looking at the fake numbers to give them an incentive to play the game, when in reality, Steam numbers have nothing to do with reality. It is easy to draw parallel to other Valve games, in CS:GO, while searching for a match, we could see in the game itself that there are less players actually playing on the servers (not only official ranked, but all servers that the interface displayed during a search in the game itself) and with all the idlers, hour boosting users that certain third-party software makers are developing, it is clear that the majority of the Counter-Strike's player numbers are idlers, trade bots and such. Counter-Strike actually still has user-hosted bots and had for a long time where they were and are still trying to get item drops, just like when TF2's first drop system was introduced.

With Left 4 Dead, an exact same story, it is possible to simply look at the player numbers in two seperate features of the game, the matchmaking lobby browser and a server browser. One checks for an existing lobby and connects you to a lobby host, doesn't matter on which server he is, user doesn't see an actual server while connecting to said lobby, only a vague description of what the campaign is and how many games are available, while another function is a traditional server browser that we normally see in many Valve games. If we were to look at all servers we would see the same picture as in Team Fortress 2, the actual players actually playing the game, their numbers are nowhere close to what Steam displays to convince players of a fake player number. That game, just like many other Valve games is infested with fake players.

As for Deadlock, Valve had created a function that they are using to attract more players into the game. They themselves by using a monopoly they established on Steam are essentially shoving the game in front of people's faces and using Steam and Valve logo as a way to popularize the game and lure more players. No marketing is needed for them on that part, when we compare other games who don't get as many players as Deadlock, it is important to remember that they have no features at their posession to simply force the game on people just like they did with Deadlock. Valve not speaking about their game at the time of writing doesn't change anything when they throw invites left and right, they see no need in that. The game is also infested with players, bot user accounts that stay in the main menu and send invites (same invites that we see on Deadlock's steam discussion page at the time of writing) which they send people for money. The entire system that Valve had established in their prior games, the attitude they allow for bots to stay in their games and artificially boost player numbers shows that believing numbers of a corporation that can artificially change player numbers for their own game is not the right thing to do. Sometimes it's about coming to terms with reality rather than believing the fake information that a corporation can create out of thin air based on the systems that they've themselves created.

[Tighty-Whitey]

Originally posted by 1080Puktra:

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

some users earlier mentioned that the reason we see dips of deadlock's player count so much is because at some points in time people work or sleep. the problem is, the jumps are very erratic and very extreme, they plummet and go up in unnatural ways suggesting a fear of missing out and the inflated player number in deadlock. on top of that, i've also earlier in a conversation explained that if people work and sleep at certain time, then they can't be real players because they aren't truly really willing to spend their time on playing the game, it's not their priority. all that the graphs confirm is that players are not interested in the game and aren't treating it seriously, despite valve's attempts to make the game e-sports intended. they failed and players aren't interested and don't have deadlock as set priority.

All this tells me is you don't know what context is and you don't know how to read a game pop graph because Deadlocks graph going up and down is exactly how all online game's act if it wasn't doing such a thing then there would be a problem.
You litterly just described how all online game pops act and you have a problem with that.

had the jumps in player numbers of deadlock wouldn't have been so erratic and extreme it would stand ground, but seeing reputation of valve with TF2, their fake player numbers there, the bot issue that the game had and seeing so many users inviting other users and monetizing it even in the discussions board says a lot about the fake player number and the extreme likeliness of a fake player number for deadlock. it's analysis based on factual observation and correlations of actually happening things that we see every day in the discussions, valve's games and researches conducted by other users too.

[BEEP!]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

Originally posted by 1080Puktra:

All this tells me is you don't know what context is and you don't know how to read a game pop graph because Deadlocks graph going up and down is exactly how all online game's act if it wasn't doing such a thing then there would be a problem.
You litterly just described how all online game pops act and you have a problem with that.

had the jumps in player numbers of deadlock wouldn't have been so erratic and extreme it would stand ground, but seeing reputation of valve with TF2, their fake player numbers there, the bot issue that the game had and seeing so many users inviting other users and monetizing it even in the discussions board says a lot about the fake player number and the extreme likeliness of a fake player number for deadlock. it's analysis based on factual observation and correlations of actually happening things that we see every day in the discussions, valve's games and researches conducted by other users too.

This is how a game's graph should look that is not infested with bots or fake players.
It's has ups and downs highs and lows daily and is very consistent see how all of these game's have a very similar graph.
ZOOM in to the 1WEEK for each game listed below.
This is GOOD THIS IS NORMAL !!!.
https://steamdb.info/app/1422450/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/730/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/570/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/252490/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/271590/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/236390/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/238960/charts/

And this is how a bot infested game looks notice how this one is very different from all the graphs above.
This is BAD THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!
https://steamdb.info/app/440/charts/
By the way how many players are playing Deadlock PVP mode right now.

[Tighty-Whitey]

Originally posted by 1080Puktra:

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

had the jumps in player numbers of deadlock wouldn't have been so erratic and extreme it would stand ground, but seeing reputation of valve with TF2, their fake player numbers there, the bot issue that the game had and seeing so many users inviting other users and monetizing it even in the discussions board says a lot about the fake player number and the extreme likeliness of a fake player number for deadlock. it's analysis based on factual observation and correlations of actually happening things that we see every day in the discussions, valve's games and researches conducted by other users too.

This is how a game's graph should look that is not infested with bots or fake players.
It's has ups and downs highs and lows daily and is very consistent see how all of these game's have a very similar graph.
This is GOOD THIS IS NORMAL !!!.
https://steamdb.info/app/1422450/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/730/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/570/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/252490/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/271590/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/236390/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/238960/charts/

And this is how a bot infested game looks notice how this one is very different from all the graphs above.
This is BAD THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!
https://steamdb.info/app/440/charts/

none of what you've linked is normal either. we are not talking about thousands of players leaving the game, we are talking about huge tens of thousands of people and that says a lot. learn to read the graphs that you've linked yourself, even if there are some real players, they aren't truly interested in deadlock bcause that's not their priority and they have jobs, schools, mostly schools because deadlock is meant for kids. other than that, even mathematically your claims were proven incorrect. try to pay attention.

[Dwane Dibbley]

Imagine talking about fake player numbers while having no idea how daily player count cycle goes...

[BEEP!]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

Originally posted by 1080Puktra:

This is how a game's graph should look that is not infested with bots or fake players.
It's has ups and downs highs and lows daily and is very consistent see how all of these game's have a very similar graph.
This is GOOD THIS IS NORMAL !!!.
https://steamdb.info/app/1422450/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/730/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/570/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/252490/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/271590/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/236390/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/238960/charts/

And this is how a bot infested game looks notice how this one is very different from all the graphs above.
This is BAD THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!
https://steamdb.info/app/440/charts/

none of what you've linked is normal either. we are not talking about thousands of players leaving the game, we are talking about huge tens of thousands of people and that says a lot. learn to read the graphs that you've linked yourself, even if there are some real players, they aren't truly interested in deadlock bcause that's not their priority and they have jobs, schools, mostly schools because deadlock is meant for kids. other than that, even mathematically your claims were proven incorrect. try to pay attention.

You did not even bother to look at any of the graphs to see how they act in a 1week time period that the first 7 game's graphs listed are normal and happen to all online game's that have a normal pop and not a bot infested pop.
By the way everything I linked is normal and happens to all game's that behave normal with their pop.
So tell me how do the 7 game graphs behave and look to TF2 graph in a 1week time period how are they different visually there's a pattern with the 7games that is clearly different to TF2 graph.
TF2s graph is entirely different and acts entirely different to all the other game graphs while all the other game graphs have almost the exact same consistent pattern and that constant patter for the 7games is what is normal for all online normal game.
You are literally looking at something normal for the gaming industry as a whole and saying it's not the norm.

Also this can literally be used for all game's that ever existed and will ever exist.
(they aren't truly interested in deadlock because that's not their priority and they have jobs, schools, mostly schools)

[Charles: The High Dolphin]

Deadlock is so early that I think the actual release will be at least late 2025.

They do need to address the cheaters fast though.

[BEEP!]

Originally posted by Charles: The High Dolphin:

Deadlock is so early that I think the actual release will be at least late 2025.

They do need to address the cheaters fast though.

Right now there's no Anticheat because it was never planned for a open invite at first you can report them to the discord/main forum and if they get banned it's a perm hardware ban even a ban for being toxic is perm until the game launches and they said it'l probably launch in 2years plus it also helps it's not easy to gt back into the game even if you got around the hardware ban.

[Mundgodt]

Mr tighty. Why do you spend so much time complaining about a game you don't like?. Why not go spend your time doing something you like?

It's quite clear why the player count drops. Each region has their own set times where you're allowed to play, since it's a play test (unreleased game). The game shuts down for hours each day. THATS why the number drops.

[Data]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

Originally posted by 1080Puktra:

This is how a game's graph should look that is not infested with bots or fake players.
It's has ups and downs highs and lows daily and is very consistent see how all of these game's have a very similar graph.
This is GOOD THIS IS NORMAL !!!.
https://steamdb.info/app/1422450/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/730/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/570/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/252490/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/271590/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/236390/charts/
https://steamdb.info/app/238960/charts/

And this is how a bot infested game looks notice how this one is very different from all the graphs above.
This is BAD THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!
https://steamdb.info/app/440/charts/

even if there are some real players, they aren't truly interested in deadlock bcause that's not their priority and they have jobs, schools, mostly schools because deadlock is meant for kids.

Oh you're now stating that Deadlock is a "kids game" and that people with jobs or kids aren't truly interested in it... So uh, is this your perspective for every game because we can just say that for every game then.

Didn't even make sense. What an odd statement.

[Data]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

...you have not been considerate for people and for your own wife, simple as that.

...did you also give deadlock to play to your family members? perhaps your wife might like the game, the one you brought into the conversation yourself by the way, but first you should stop treating her badly, to which you have technically been also admitted to.

Can someone please explain to me how these extracts from just one of many messages earlier (see page 12) during interactions with Forrest are "respectful and constructive"?

There's more like this, entirely irrelevant and just harassment. We can't have productive conversations when this user is being so insidious and cruel.

[Tighty-Whitey]

of course there are quite a few people playing deadlock, more than quite a few actually, but it's nowhere near to other valve games. other valve games have more players in them, except the ones that came out very long time ago. perhaps if valve fixes remaining issues this game might find its niche, but that is currently not very likely until they update the game some more. except they need to fundamentally rework a lot of things for real players to be interested.

[Dwane Dibbley]

Breaking news: Unreleased game has less players than old, well known franchizes...

[Data]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

of course there are quite a few people playing deadlock, more than quite a few actually, but it's nowhere near to other valve games. other valve games have more players in them, except the ones that came out very long time ago. perhaps if valve fixes remaining issues this game might find its niche, but that is currently not very likely until they update the game some more. except they need to fundamentally rework a lot of things for real players to be interested.

You've said all of this before, people have addressed it and debunked claims. Appears you're just bumping your own threads again.

[Mundgodt]

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

of course there are quite a few people playing deadlock, more than quite a few actually, but it's nowhere near to other valve games. other valve games have more players in them, except the ones that came out very long time ago. perhaps if valve fixes remaining issues this game might find its niche, but that is currently not very likely until they update the game some more. except they need to fundamentally rework a lot of things for real players to be interested.

Idk where you get your logic from dude. Deadlock is in "play test" state. Everyone does not have access. The fact that it's pulling these numbers and instant game queue pops in all regions says something about its popularity already. It's extremely early in development. Comparing this with old and already released games, is wild.

Why don't you just go play something you enjoy instead of wasting your time trying convince other people that what they're playing is bad 😂

[BEEP!]

Originally posted by Data:

Originally posted by Tighty-Whitey:

of course there are quite a few people playing deadlock, more than quite a few actually, but it's nowhere near to other valve games. other valve games have more players in them, except the ones that came out very long time ago. perhaps if valve fixes remaining issues this game might find its niche, but that is currently not very likely until they update the game some more. except they need to fundamentally rework a lot of things for real players to be interested.

You've said all of this before, people have addressed it and debunked claims. Appears you're just bumping your own threads again.

Isn't that almost like a copy & paste response they've used several times now?