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Valve’s Deadlock game has been shrouded in, if not secrecy, a sort of shadow for some time. But rays of light have been finding cracks thanks to testers of the title… even though it hadn’t been made official. That changed on August 23, when Valve officially acknowledged Deadlock, giving the MOBA game its own Steam Page.
That doesn’t mean it’s getting an official release any time soon. So what’s the deal?
Well, since players have been able to access it in increasing numbers, here’s what we know on how to play Deadlock, and our thoughts on the game overall.
- Deadlock is currently in a restricted access alpha test phase, with its release date yet to be announced.
- The title has hit a peak of 88,000 concurrent users, as invites to the alpha have increasingly circulated among the Steam account user base.
- Access to Deadlock Alpha is invite-only – either from Valve or someone currently participating in the Alpha. You cannot request a copy of the game.
- Deadlock is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, currently featuring 21 characters, six-player teams, and traditional – and less traditional – MOBA elements.
- Deadlock is still in early access and appears to be quite early in development.
How to Get into the Deadlock Playtest
Deadlock alpha testing is reported to have been ongoing since 2023, but it was by invitation only and under a strict NDA that prevented public reporting, content, and discussion. That NDA was lifted on August 23, with a statement on Valve’s alpha test Discord that also added: “We are remaining invite-only and continue to be in an early development stage with lots of temporary art and experimental gameplay.”
Invite-only is still the case since any Deadlock Beta (or a more public test) is yet to be announced. Yes, to get into the Deadlock playtest, which has hit a peak of 88,000 concurrent players, you need to be invited. And for that, you have two access routes:
- Be invited by Valve. This seems straightforward, but as Valve invites appear random and you can’t request access, chances are slim since there’s no way you can increase your likelihood.
- Be added by someone who is already in the alpha. This allows testers to invite their friends, who should get access within 1-2 days. It’s sensible to keep an eye on your friends list for anyone playing Deadlock, and you can ask them for an invite.
- If neither of the above options works for you, some content creators have gone public and have alpha access, so they can invite Steam users. Some creators have set up Discord servers for people to join, on which you can request an invite to the alpha and be invited this way.
Where to Get a Deadlock Playtest Invite
There are only two places to get a Deadlock playtest invite: From Valve or someone currently in the Deadlock alpha.
Those options are limited, but remember, the game has just been officially announced. Also, Deadlock isn’t even in Beta testing yet. As alpha tests aren’t often public, getting an invite can never be guaranteed!
What is Deadlock?
Valve’s Deadlock is now confirmed, and we have an official Deadlock Steam page, but Valve simply refers to it as “a multiplayer game in early development”. Also, there is no news on a Deadlock release date.
But now that we have viewable content, we can discern that it is being tested as a third-person multiplayer online battle arena game (MOBA). The action focuses on teams of six battling for progression and victory across map lanes.
As well as incorporating existing MOBA elements such as minions, towers, bases, and ‘hero’ builds, all impacting the battles across the lanes, there’s an item economy, as well as melee, range, and special abilities to consider – all of which may change or be tweaked by the time a Deadlock beta hits… whenever that may be.
The ultimate goal appears to be (of course, for a MOBA) to reach the enemy base and destroy it to claim victory.
To help players do this, there appear to be 21 Deadlock characters to choose from, while current gameplay offers a fairly differentiated and fun experience.
Deadlock Characters Explained
The Bottom Line
While it’s obviously early days for Valve’s Deadlock game, the early impressions seem positive among users who are playing it. In the strictest definition, it appears in quite an early alpha state but still offers some interesting takes on the MOBA and hero shooter genres. If you can swing an invite in the ways we’ve spoken about, it’s well worth experiencing at least once.
FAQs
How to Play the Deadlock Game?
Is Deadlock on Steam?
How to Gain Access to Deadlock?
Is Deadlock in Early Access?
Is Deadlock a MOBA?
Will Deadlock be Free-to-Play?
References
- Deadlock on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- SteamDB (Steamdb)
