Deadlock surpasses 160,000 concurrent players and includes a hidden reference to another Valve classic — Portal 2

Last weekend, Deadlock, which is still in development and known as one of the most "open secrets" in the gaming industry, attracted a massive player base. According to SteamDB, the game reached a peak concurrent player count of 164,855. These are impressive numbers for a game that hasn't officially launched yet and is currently only available by invitation from other players.

In addition to this, Deadlock appears to include a nod to Portal 2 — teleporters that instantly move heroes across the map seem to reference Portal 2 logo. It's a fitting reference, even if a bit on the nose.

Some fans have begun to wonder if this means that Deadlock might feature its own versions of Aperture Science and Black Mesa — the iconic institutions from Valve's games. This is entirely possible, considering that Team Fortress 2 also contains its own interpretations of these legendary establishments within the Valve universe.