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{{Removed content}}[[File:Neon Prime screenshot 01.jpg|alt=Screenshot of Neon Prime. Bebop overlooks the city of Fracture.|thumb|Neon Prime screenshot]]
'''''Neon Prime''''' was an early development version of ''[[Deadlock]].'' It was created after ''[[Citadel]].''

The game was cancelled late in development and reworked into ''[[Shadowline]]'' and later ''Deadlock'', due to negative feedback from playtesters regarding its art style and setting. ''Neon Prime'' reportedly had issues of poor visibility due to the heavy use of neon lights in VFX and models.<ref>{{YouTubeCite|OJ-fXZtrS-4|Valve's Playtesters Hated This Game (and it got canceled...)}}</ref>

Many of ''Deadlock's'' current features and assets have been inherited from ''Neon Prime'', and are expected to be updated or replaced over the course of development.

[[File:Neon Prime Mods.jpg|thumb|Neon Prime Mods (items) menu]]
[[File:Neon Prime HUD.png|thumb|Early HUD]]
== Setting ==
''Main article: [[Neon Prime lore]]''

''Neon Prime'' had a Cyberpunk sci-fi aesthetic featuring supernatural elements.

The game took place in an alien world called Fracture, a former prison planet that was taken over by inmates and turned into a tourism hotspot where crime is legal. The game matches were elections in the form of organized bloodsports in the city center, in which each team represented a mayor candidate.

== Gameplay ==
The gameplay of ''Neon Prime'' was similar to ''Deadlock.'' 6 players on each side would use [[ziplines]] (then called ''hyperlines'') to traverse 4 lanes and fight [[Guardian|guardians]] and [[Walker|walkers]] to destroy an enemy boss called the [[Patron|Titan]]. The players would unlock ''tech'' (abilities) and use coins to buy [[Item|items]], called ''mods.'' In ''Neon Prime,'' the players had 6 item slots for each category instead of 8 universal slots.

A notable difference is that ''Neon Prime'' had a 3-hit combo melee system, instead of ''Deadlock's'' light and heavy melee.

There were two major versions of the Neon Prime map. V1 was developed around 2021 and was set during daylight. V2 was developed around 2022 and was set during night time.

Killing the [[Mid-Boss|midboss]] gave you the ability to immediately respawn after the player's [[death]], as can be heard in the unused tutorial voice line from the Deadlock files.

{{#ev:youtube|xqJsU0iN_UI|360|right|description=Tutorials and gameplay footage (unofficial logo)}}
<gallery>
File:Bebop doing a 3-hit combo.mp4|3-hit combo
</gallery>

== Heroes ==
A list of known ''Neon Prime'' heroes and their ''Deadlock'' counterparts.

The ID indicates the order in which heroes were created in the game files (though not necessarily the order of development).
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!ID
! Hero !! Fate !! Notes
|-
|34
| [[Neon Prime lore#Akimbo|Akimbo]]|| Removed ||Was a robot gunslinger
|-
|14
| Astro || Became {{HeroIcon|Holliday}} || Was in a relationship with '''Forge<ref name=":0">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Lash|file=Lash killed by forge 04.mp3|transcription=Astro is a lucky lady to be with someone like Forge.}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Lash|file=Lash killed by forge 01.mp3|transcription=I see her at the Bear Pit every Thursday with Astro, that lady is a student of the game.}}</ref>'''
|-
|6
| Atlas || Became {{HeroIcon|Abrams}} || Wore a jetpack. Was a time soldier of the [[Neon Prime lore#The Lost Battalion|Lost Battalion]]<ref>{{VoiceLineCite|name=Paradox|alt_name=Chrono|file=Chrono killed by atlas 05.mp3|context=(killed by Atlas)|transcription=Maybe he wasn't making up all that 'time soldier' stuff after all.}}</ref>
|-
|36
| [[Neon Prime lore#Ballista|Ballista]]|| Removed || Was an anarchist artist and founder of the [[Neon Prime lore#The Wreckage Movement|Wreckage Movement]]. Used to be in a relationship with '''Lash<ref name=":2">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Lash|file=Lash killed by ballista 01.mp3|context=(killed by Ballista)|transcription=It's fine. You know, lots of guys get the shit kicked out of them by their exes, right?}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Lash|file=Lash killed by ballista 04.mp3|context=(killed by Ballista)|transcription=Get it together, Lash! You're not gonna win them back by losing!}}</ref>'''
|-
|15
| {{HeroIcon|Bebop}} || Stayed || Same as current model
|-
|30
|Butcher
|Became {{HeroIcon|Wrecker}}
| Was a female werebear
|-
|10
|Chrono
|Became {{HeroIcon|Paradox}}
|Was the leader of the Paradox organization
|-
|18
|Digger
|Became {{HeroIcon|Mo & Krill}}
|
|-
|32
|Duo
|Removed
|
|-
|8
|Forge
|Became {{HeroIcon|McGinnis}}
|Same as original model, was in a relationship with '''Astro<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />'''
|-
|2
|Gigawatt
|Became {{HeroIcon|Seven}}
|
|-
|13
|{{HeroIcon|Haze}}
|Stayed
|Original design was an alien with long ears. Was a [[Neon Prime lore#The Disciples of Creela|Disciple of Kreela]]
|-
|??
|Heavy
|Removed
|Based on [https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Heavy Heavy] from ''Team Fortress 2''
|-
|3
|Hornet
|Became {{HeroIcon|Vindicta}}
|Had wings, was the leader of [[Neon Prime lore#Strike Team Endeavor|Strike Team Endeavor]]<ref>{{VoiceLineCite|name=Chrono|file=Chrono_killed_by_hornet_05.mp3|transcription=Fighting the leader of Strike Team Endeavor was never gonna be easy.}}</ref>
|-
|1
|Inferno
|Became {{HeroIcon|Infernus}}
|Was a man in an orange sci-fi uniform
|-
|21
|{{HeroIcon|Kali}}
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|Was a retired [[Bear Pit]] fighter.<ref>{{VoiceLineCite|Lash|file=Lash kill kali 01.mp3|transcription=Not gonna dunk on you, Kali. You were a hell of a fighter before you retired. Lived in obscurity, came out of retirement in a desperate bid for relevancy, only to get injured by Bebop. Ouch! And put on a shelf for the better part of two decades. Uhf.}}</ref> Animations were reused for '''Ivy'''. '''[[Vyper|Vyper's]]''' model is currently based on Kali's
|-
|12
|{{HeroIcon|Kelvin}}
|Stayed
|Had an astronaut suit that was reworked as '''Viscous'''' current model. Worked at a [[Neon Prime lore#854 Industrial Meat Management|meat-packing plant]]
|-
|31
|{{HeroIcon|Lash}}
|Stayed
|Owned a [[Neon Prime lore#Lash's Dojo|dojo]], used to be in a relationship with '''Ballista<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />'''
|-
|25
|Murphy
|Became {{HeroIcon|Warden}}
|The name was reused for [[Minor characters|Captain Murphy]] in Holliday's storyline. Was a [[Neon Prime lore#The Constables|Constable]] (robot police)
|-
|16
|Nano
|Became {{HeroIcon|Calico}}
|Had metallic implants in her head and arms
|-
|17
|Orion
|Became {{HeroIcon|Grey Talon}}
|Similar to current model, but used to be bald, had a long beard and wore goggles
|-
|19
|{{HeroIcon|Shiv}}
|Stayed
|Same as current model, but with a red shirt and metallic arm
|-
|??
|Skymonk
|Removed
|
|-
|4
|Spectre
|Became {{HeroIcon|Lady Geist}}
|Also known as '''Ghost'''. Was a man wearing a cape and hood and a member of the [[Neon Prime lore#The 8th Sun|Eighth Sun]]. Was related to '''Yamato'''
|-
|11
|Sumo
|Became {{HeroIcon|Dynamo}}
|Also known as '''Jeong'''. Was an [[Neon Prime lore#Jeong's Dumplings and More|Asian chef]] and black market smuggler
|-
|33
|Tempest
|Removed
|
|-
|20
|Tengu
|Became {{HeroIcon|Ivy}}
|Was a person wearing a red yokai mask
|-
|35
|{{HeroIcon|Viscous}}
|Stayed
|Same as current model, portrait was a blowfish in a green suit
|-
|7
|{{HeroIcon|Wraith}}
|Stayed
|Went through multiple iterations, including a woman with a purple arm and a magician with handcuffed hands and two ghost arms
|-
|27
|{{HeroIcon|Yamato}}
|Stayed
|Same as current model, with different colors
|}

=== Later Heroes ===
The following heroes were created at some point before April 2024, but it's currently unclear if they were playable in ''Neon Prime'' or made later for ''Shadowline'' or ''Deadlock''.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!ID
! Hero !! Fate !! Notes
|-
|54
| {{HeroIcon|Cadence}}|| Accessible via [[console commands]] ||
|-
|38
|[[Gunslinger]]
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|
|-
|52
|{{HeroIcon|Mirage}}
|Stayed
|
|-
|49
|{{HeroIcon|Rutger}}
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|
|-
|53
|Slork
|Added to [[Hero Labs]] as {{HeroIcon|Fathom}} and later removed
|
|-
|40
|Spade
|Removed
|
|-
|50
|Synth
|Became {{HeroIcon|Pocket}}
|Also known as '''Fairfax'''
|-
|39
|{{HeroIcon|The Boss}}
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|Also known as '''Yakuza Boss'''
|-
|51
|{{HeroIcon|Thumper}}
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|
|-
|47
|{{HeroIcon|Tokamak}}
|Accessible via [[console commands]]
|
|-
|48
|{{HeroIcon|Wrecker}}
|Added to [[Hero Labs]] and later removed
|Wrecker was based on Butcher, but has a different ID
|}

== Gallery ==

=== Gameplay ===
<gallery>
File:Neon Prime screenshot 2.jpg|Night-time gameplay
File:Neon Prime screenshot 3.jpg|Night-time gameplay
File:Neon Prime V1 Gameplay.png|Daytime gameplay
</gallery>

=== Heroes ===
<gallery>
File:Bebop Neon Prime.png|Bebop
File:Cadence temp model.png|Cadence
File:Chrono card.png|Chrono
File:Digger hud psd.jpg|Digger
File:Forge Neon Prime.png|Forge
File:Gigawatt Neon Prime.png|Gigawatt
File:Gigawatt icon.png|Gigawatt
File:Gunslinger model.png|Gunslinger
File:Haze v1.png|Haze
File:Haze v1 model Neon Prime.png|Haze
File:Cadence MM.png|Edited Haze icon, used as Cadence's temp icon
File:Hornet Neon Prime.png|Hornet
File:Inferno Neon Prime.jpg|Inferno
File:Inferno Neon Prime gameplay.jpg|Inferno
File:Hero neon prime Kali.png|Kali
File:Kelvin Neon Prime.png|Kelvin
File:Hero neon prime Kelvin.png|Kelvin
File:Lash Neon Prime.png|Lash
File:Mirage Unreleased model.png|Mirage
File:Nano card.png|Nano
File:Nano gameplay.png|Nano
File:Rutger card.png|Rutger
File:Skymonk.png|Skymonk
File:Shiv Neon Prime.png|Shiv
File:Neon Prime Shiv gameplay.png|Shiv
File:Hero neon prime Spectre.png|Spectre
File:Hero neon prime Sumo.png|Sumo
File:Sumo Black Hole.png|Sumo using Black Hole
File:Synth.png|Synth
File:Hero neon prime Tengu.png|Tengu
File:The Boss card.png|The Boss
File:Tokamak card.png|Tokamak
File:Viscous Neon Prime.png|Viscous
File:Hero neon prime Wraith.png|Wraith
File:Yamato Neon Prime.png|Yamato
File:Neon Prime Yamato.png|Yamato
</gallery>

=== NPCs ===
<gallery>
File:Neon Prime Default Trooper.png|Trooper
File:Neon prime finalized trooper.png|Trooper 2
File:Healing trooper.png|Healing Trooper
File:Neon Prime Walker v1.png|Walker v1
File:Neon Prime Walker v2.png|Walker v2
File:Neon Prime Walker.png|Walker v3
File:NPC neon prime Titan.png|Titan (Patron)
File:Chefbot.png|Chefbot
File:Punkbot.png|Punkbot
File:Cleanbot.png|Cleanbot
</gallery>

=== UI and Graphic Design ===
<gallery>
File:Neon Prime Training 1.png|Training - Guided
File:Training Hero Testing.png|Training - Hero Testing
File:Training guide .png|Training - Guide
File:Training Bots Easy.png|Training - Bots on Easy
File:Lane Training trooper Coin.png|Lane Training trooper Coin
File:Neon Prime posters 1.png|Posters
</gallery>

=== Concept art ===
<gallery>
File:Neon Prime map concept.png|Map concept art
</gallery>

== External Links ==
{{#ev:youtube|kxrf7KplbfU|360|description=Neon Prime hero voice lines compilation}}

== Trivia ==

* ''Neon Prime's'' portraits were drawn by former Valve artist [https://www.clairehummel.com/ Claire Hummel].<ref name=":4">Confirmed privately with [https://x.com/shoomlah Claire Hummel] on X</ref>
* [[Vasili Zorin]] was the character designer of ''Neon Prime''.<ref name=":4" /> Vasili has been working at Valve since 2018,<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasili-zorin-1b3a841b/ Vasili Zorin] on Linkedin</ref> when development on ''[[Citadel]]'' began.

== References ==
[[Category:Neon Prime]]
[[Category:Deadlock development history]]
<references />{{Development History}}