Deadlock is Valve's 6v6 game that mixes a third-person hero shooter with a MOBA, and it is still in an invite-only playtest. Teams push lanes, collect Souls to buy items and destroy guardians and Shrines. You win by defeating the enemy team's Patron in its base, across both of its phases.
What is Deadlock?
Deadlock is Valve's team game that blends a third-person hero shooter with a MOBA. Two teams of six fight over three lanes in a stylised, supernatural city, buying items with Souls as the match goes on. It is still unreleased. As of October 2026 access is by friend invite from existing playtesters, Steam lists the release date as to be announced, and it runs only on PC.
Valve updates it in large drops. Old Gods, New Blood in January 2026 redesigned the bases and Patrons and added the Street Brawl mode. City Never Sleeps arrived on September 29, 2026 with a reworked map, neutral camps renamed Haunts, and six new heroes released twice a week in an order decided by player votes. The playtest set a new Steam concurrent player record the day after that update.
| Fact | Detail (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Valve |
| Status | Unreleased; invite-only playtest on Steam, release date to be announced |
| Platform | PC (Windows) through Steam |
| Genre | Third-person hero shooter mixed with a MOBA |
| Team size | 6v6 in Standard; 4v4 in Street Brawl |
| Latest major update | City Never Sleeps, September 29, 2026 (map rework and six new heroes released through October) |
| Ranked | Beta Season 1, July 30 to November 5, 2026 |
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What is the objective of Deadlock?
The aim of every Standard match is to destroy the enemy Patron, the giant boss sitting in the enemy base. To reach it, your team pushes its troopers down the lanes and breaks the enemy's guardians and walkers along the way, then the Base Guardians and the two Shrines that protect the Patron.
Along the way you collect Souls by killing troopers, Haunts and enemy heroes, and spend them on items that power up your guns and abilities. Standard matches are much longer than a typical shooter round, since both teams scale up before the final push.
How do you win a match in Deadlock?
The Patron cannot be damaged until both Shrines are down. Once they fall, you chip it through two phases: in phase two it drops into a pit, and it takes far less damage while defenders stand in that pit, so clearing the defenders first matters.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 6v6 | Push through the enemy lanes, destroy both of their Shrines, then defeat their Patron in both phases. |
| Ranked | 6v6 | Same goal as Standard, played for Rank Points, with three hero bans and solo placement matches. |
| Street Brawl | 4v4 | Short rounds with equal resources and no farming. Best of five, so first to three round wins takes it. |
The Patron also gains health as the match goes on, so a team that pushes efficiently when it has the advantage finishes games faster than one that waits.
How does ranked or progression work?
Ranked mode arrived on July 30, 2026. You need 60 wins in Standard mode and at least three heroes with 15 Standard wins each. You then play eight solo calibration matches and climb from Initiate through Seeker, Acolyte, Sentinel, Mystic, Ritualist, Emissary, Oracle, Phantom and Ascendant to Eternus, each with six subranks. Parties are capped at two players.
Beta Season 1 was extended to November 5, 2026. For Rank Points, loss protection and the full rules, read our Deadlock ranks explained guide, and find every Deadlock article on the Deadlock guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Last-hit troopers. Securing the final hit on troopers gives you Souls; it is your main source of power early.
- Deny enemy Souls. Shooting the soul orbs from enemy troopers keeps your lane opponent poorer.
- Spend Souls often. Return to a shop when you can afford a key item instead of holding unspent Souls.
- Clear Haunts between waves. Neutral camps give extra Souls when your lane is quiet.
- Group for objectives. Walkers, Shrines and the Patron fall much faster with the whole team.
- Use the zip lines. They move you between lanes quickly to join fights or defend.
- Learn three heroes. Ranked needs three heroes with 15 wins each, so practise a small pool early.
How can Boosting Games help with Deadlock?
Our fixed-price Deadlock services are on the Deadlock services collection and the Deadlock boosting page. Prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for your option shows before checkout.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlock Ranked Calibration | Help with your solo placement matches at the start of ranked. | From $39 |
| Deadlock Ranked Wins Pack | A set number of ranked wins in the size you pick. | From $15 |
| Deadlock Match Review Pack | A coach reviews your recorded matches and explains what to change. | From $36 |
Unsure which fits your goal? Ask Boost Up AI, or read how it works first.
Honest risk note: Deadlock is played on Steam, and the Steam Subscriber Agreement forbids sharing your account. Any piloted order, where a booster logs in, carries the most risk. Playing with you carries less, and match reviews and coaching carry none because your login stays with you. Read our account safety notice before ordering. We never sell accounts, invites, items, cheats or mods.
Get help with Deadlock
Pick a service, see the exact price before paying, and follow progress on your private order page.
See Deadlock servicesAsk Boost Up AIRelated reading: Deadlock ranks explained, and our beginner guides to what Overwatch is and how to win and what Marvel Rivals is and how to win.
Deadlock FAQ
Can anyone play Deadlock right now?
Not yet. As of October 2026 Deadlock is still an unreleased Valve playtest. Steam says access is limited to friend invites from existing playtesters, so you need someone who already has the game to invite you through Steam. Valve has not announced a public release date, and the store page lists it as to be announced.
Is Deadlock free?
Valve has not announced a price. Playtesters currently join through Steam friend invites without buying anything, but Valve has not said what the pricing model will be at full release. We do not guess at it here; check the official Steam page for the latest information once Valve announces the release details.
How long is a Deadlock match?
Standard matches are long compared with most shooters, because both teams build up items and the Patron gets tougher as time passes. A team that wins early fights and pushes objectives can finish sooner. Street Brawl is much faster: best of five short rounds of a couple of minutes each, with no farming.
How do you unlock ranked in Deadlock?
You need 60 wins in Standard mode and at least three heroes that each have 15 Standard wins. You also must have no active matchmaking restrictions. After that you play eight solo calibration matches to receive your starting rank. Our ranks guide covers Rank Points and every tier in detail.
What is the best mode for beginners?
Start with Standard matches and the in-game tutorial or sandbox to learn movement, last-hitting and the shop. Street Brawl is a good way to practise fighting because everyone gets equal resources each round, but it skips farming and lane play, which is what Standard and Ranked are really about, so do not skip them.
How many heroes are in Deadlock?
The roster keeps growing through big updates. The January 2026 update added six heroes, and the City Never Sleeps update on September 29, 2026 added six more, released two at a time during October in an order chosen by community votes. Because the count changes often, check the hero list in the game for the latest number.
Sources: Steam: Deadlock store page, Deadlock Wiki: Patron, Deadlock Wiki: Ranked Mode, KeenGamer: City Never Sleeps notes, Kami Labs: player record, Wikipedia: Deadlock.