Deadlock skyrocketed to over 100k concurrent players in August 2024 after the publicity restrictions were lifted. It then went several months without significant content updates before receiving a major map overhaul in February.
The map overhaul removed the 4th lane from the original version, opting for the classic MOBA setup of 3 lanes and giving us the current version of the Baroness Hotel, the domain of The Doorman. The in-game hotel’s appearance is directly based on the real Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York, which opened in 1907 and has been featured in dozens of films such as The Great Gatsby (1974), Home Alone 2, and 101 Dalmatians.
Deadlock players have discovered the real-life Baroness Hotel, located just 11 miles from Valve’s headquarters in Bellevue, WA, and they’re posting reviews referencing the game.
The real hotel originally opened in 1930 as the “Baroness Apartments” functioning as both a residential apartment and a hotel for over 70 years. In 2006, it was acquired by the Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC), underwent major renovations from 2007 to 2008, and reopened exclusively as a hotel catering to families and recovering patients from nearby hospitals.
Proximity to Valve’s Headquarters
The hotel is located in Downtown Seattle, WA, and is just across the water from Valve’s headquarters in Bellevue, WA. It’s around a 20-minute drive depending on traffic. It’s entirely possible that a Valve employee spotted the real hotel and thought it would make an excellent name for an in-game location.
