Valve’s Unannounced MOBA Shooter ‘Deadlock’ Gains Momentum as Playtest Expands
Valve is taking an unconventional approach with its latest, still-unannounced game, a MOBA shooter called Deadlock. Despite the company’s silence about the project, invites to a closed playtest have been quietly sent to thousands of Steam users over the past few months.
While participants have been instructed to keep details under wraps, leaks have surfaced online, with gameplay videos and discussion threads appearing on various platforms. As the playtest progresses, the number of players involved continues to grow, with thousands joining the game daily.
Currently, there are two known ways to access the Deadlock playtest: being randomly invited by Valve or receiving an invitation from a friend already in the playtest. Players can recommend friends for invites, though acceptance isn’t guaranteed, with most reportedly gaining access after a few days.
Interestingly, the selection process for these invites appears to be random. Initially, the focus seemed to be on experienced Dota 2 players, but recently, individuals with little or no history with Valve’s multiplayer titles have also been invited.
Despite rumors, there’s no evidence to suggest that increasing playtime in other Valve games like Dota 2 will improve your chances of getting an invite. As of early August, Deadlock reached a peak of 18,000 concurrent players, which has now more than doubled to over 34,000.
For those eager to try Deadlock, keeping a close eye on your Steam notifications and email inbox is the best course of action. With the playtest expanding rapidly, more players are likely to gain access in the coming weeks.
