My first exposure to Team Fortress 2 was watching the Meet the Team shorts on YouTube when I was definitely too young to do so. Learning about the Heavy, Scout, and Spy in some of the best animations of all time was a joy, and every once in a while, I’ll binge the entire series again for kicks. Valve knew exactly how to design, write, and cast excellent characters with TF2, and this remains true for all the studio’s games. With so many heroes, Valve’s new MOBA Deadlock carries on this tradition, and it’s technically not even out yet. While playing you might have recognized a few voices but been unable to place them, but now we know of one Team Fortress 2 and Valve voice acting legend who’s in Deadlock, and they’re sure to put a smile on your face.
John Lowrie, who played the Sniper in Team Fortress 2, has finally confirmed that they also voice a character in Deadlock. Lowrie says they’re “glad to be the voice of Dynamo in the new Valve game Deadlock,” while adding that the team “told me I could” reveal their role in the game. The MOBA might still be in early development, but it’s great to know that this Valve legend is back for another round.
To Valve fans, Lowrie is easily best known as the wise-cracking Sniper in Team Fortress 2. I’ve heard him most in the iconic Meet the Sniper short, but I’m certain we’ve all stepped into his shoes in enough games of Capture the Flag as well. Lowrie is now also the voice behind Professor Dynamo, the Deadlock hero who got too close to a rift in space-time, and was subsequently atomized into a tiny dying star.
Lowrie has appeared in other Valve games, too, namely as Half-Life 2’s Odessa Cubbage (and a variety of minor voices), and as John Slater in Left 4 Dead. The actor has also lent their voice to Dota 2, Artifact, and even The Matrix Online.
Looking back, Lowrie actually teased their role in Valve’s next game quite some time ago. In the middle of 2023, Lowrie told us all to “stay calm” while they were back at Valve in the recording booth. We had no idea about Deadlock at the time, so naturally my colleague Ed assumed we’d all be getting Half-Life 3 hand-delivered in no time. I shouldn’t have to tell you that wasn’t the case.
Even so, the Half-Life 3 rumor mill has been brought back online in recent months, and it certainly feels like we could be closer to Gordon Freeman’s next adventure than ever before. Valve’s recent Half-Life 2 anniversary update even came with new info on the long-canceled Episode 3, so I’ve not lost hope quite yet.
While we all hold out hope for a sequel that finally answers the burning questions at the end of Half-Life Alyx, we’ve got you covered with exactly what happened to Half-Life 3 back in the day. Once you’ve caught up, remember the story isn’t quite over yet.
If you want some help in Valve’s new MOBA we’ve got your back with a breakdown of the Deadlock crosshair, alongside a complete look at all the Deadlock characters and how they stack up.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.