Deadlock release date estimate, latest news, trailers, and more

When is the Deadlock release date? What was once Valve's top-not-so-secret project is now out in the open, and there's a lot to talk about when it comes to Deadlock.

So, what is Deadlock? Well, the hero shooter's been knocking around for a few years, but it's all been a bit hush hush. Now Deadlock has a shiny new Steam page, an influx of gameplay footage, plus a closed playtest, and has seen player numbers soar to extraordinary heights. If you want to play Deadlock, here's our guide on how to access the Deadlock playtest.

We don't expect the full Deadlock release date to land before late 2025, given the game's state in early access. That being said, you can access this build right now if you manage to get an invite from Valve or friends who have access.

On August 23, 2024, Valve finally lifted the lid on Deadlock, opening the floor to press and content creators alike to finally speak publicly about the game and share content. Developer 'Yoshi' shared in the community Discord at the time that Deadlock will remain invite-only for the foreseeable, and will "continue to be in an early development stage with lots of temporary art and experimental gameplay."

From what we've played so far, it's clear that Deadlock is still very rough around the edges, though there's a surprising amount of polish in places. Considering that Valve's still gradually introducing new Deadlock characters throughout early development, we could yet see the roster balloon substantially before the final version of the game materializes. Seeing as it's nowhere near a beta state right now, we can expect at least a solid year of dev time ahead of us before the full launch.

Deadlock trailers

There's only a super short teaser trailer for Deadlock available on the Steam store page, and it doesn't tell us anything about the game. There is, fortunately, tons of gameplay footage and we've had a chance to jump in ourselves to experience the new shooter/MOBA hybrid. We're optimistic for the future of Deadlock, so far, it looks very promising.

Deadlock gameplay

How does Deadlock work? As a Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Apex Legends rival, it nestles into the competitive multiplayer genre. It's also being compared to DOTA, though it's third person and has lanes, you can expect something more along the lines of Smite.

It largely functions like a MOBA, with lanes and enemies to farm so you can earn the in-game currency, Souls, to use on upgrades for your build. Featuring 6v6 combat, the aim is to destroy the other team's Patron while protecting your own. There's also a large roster of characters, with currently 23 heroes available in the game with a range of skills and abilities that suit different playstyles from snipers to crowd control.

Deadlock news

Deadlock receives updates almost every week to address the character balancing, but there's still plenty of news related to the game that is worth highlighting. Valve recently hired Duncan Drummond, one of the co-creators of Risk of Rain 2, to work on Deadlock.

In October, Deadlock received an update that added six heroes to the game: Fathom, Wrecker, Viper, Calico, Holliday, and Wrecker. These characters are only available in Hero Labs, a new game mode that lets you try out experimental heroes before they're added to the game properly. The names, abilities, and even character models are all subject to change, so this might be the only chance you get to see these heroes in their work-in-progress state.

The big update in late November introduced a myriad of balance changes, and one particularly welcome change that gives players the ability to browse and favorite builds in the dashboard. Previously, you had to go into a match to take a closer look at the meta builds, but now you're able to do this whenever you have some downtime from matches.

In December, new character Raven was added to Hero Labs, while the map got a festive overhaul just in time for the zenith of the holiday season. January 2025 brought a major shake-up to the roster, as Holiday, Calico, Vyper, and The Magnificent Sinclair all graduated from the Hero Labs and became permanent cast members.

February 2025 heralded arguably the most fundamentally game-changing update to date, which included major changes to the map. The most notable tweak sees Deadlock move from four lanes to three, necessitating a huge rebalance of its core systems.

Things were all quiet on the Valve front for a few months, but for good reason. May 2025's update heralded a full shop redesign, the addition of new items, and a bunch of balance changes.

In July 2025, Valve nerfed gun and ability damage by 5% and ~8% respectively, increasing time-to-kill and offering up an opportunity to fight back if you get caught.

That's all we have for the Deadlock release date, but if you're excited about the upcoming game, here are the best multiplayer games and best MOBAs you can play right now. If you have managed to get into the Deadlock playtest, then check out Deadlock Rank for the latest stats available for agents, items, and more.