Slork’s Fate: A Culinary Farewell in Deadlock
Many remember Slork with fondness. The character, initially showcased in a PC Gamer article and quickly gaining popularity, captivated players with his unusual name and experimental stealth gameplay style. However, for #SlorkNation, there's disheartening news: the developers of Deadlock have effectively retired Slork.
From Test Server to Stock Pot
Slork first appeared as a hero concept accessible through console commands during Deadlock’s private testing phase. He was later integrated into the “hero labs,” a feature allowing players with sufficient experience to queue for regular games using characters with placeholder artwork. During this period, Slork underwent a name change to Fathom.
Over the past year, Deadlock has undergone significant evolution, constantly refining its mechanics and gameplay. The hero lab mode was ultimately removed as the game matured and all play consolidated into a single ranked queue. While four of the eight hero labs characters were permanently added to the core roster, Fathom (formerly Slork) wasn’t among them.
Community Mourning and Developer Response
The Deadlock community is currently buzzing with anticipation for an upcoming major update. Leaks and rumors about new heroes have surfaced online, but the absence of Slork from these discussions has sparked considerable disappointment amongst his fans.
When questioned about Slork’s status on the Deadlock Discord server, developer Duncan “Hopoo” Drummond—also known for his work on Risk of Rain—responded with a darkly humorous statement:
