How do I get a Deadlock invite?

Ask a Steam friend who has the game to invite you, then accept it in Steam. Valve's Steam page says access is limited to friend invites from playtesters.

Can I play Deadlock on Mac or Linux?

Not officially: the Steam page lists Windows only.

When does Deadlock come out?

Valve hasn't given a date. The Steam page says "To be announced" and the game is still in early development.

How to play Deadlock

Deadlock is Valve's hero shooter in early development: two teams of six fight through three lanes of a supernatural New York to destroy the enemy team's Patron (Deadlock Wiki). Getting in takes an invite, and the game runs on Windows only.

How to get a Deadlock invite

As of 22 October 2026 the Steam page says access is limited to friend invites from playtesters (Steam). You need a Steam friend who already plays: anyone with access can invite any number of friends, and you accept the invite in Steam (Deadlock Wiki).

An invite can take from a few minutes to a few hours to arrive. If nothing shows up, check your Steam playtest invites.
No friend with access? The wiki points to the invite threads on the Steam forums, r/DeadlockTheGame and the community Discord.
Getting access never takes a payment or a link from a stranger. Sites selling keys or "early access" are scams.

Is Deadlock on console?

No. The Steam page lists Windows as the only platform, with no Mac or Linux version either (Steam), and none of Valve's Deadlock announcements on Steam since October 2024 mentions PlayStation or Xbox.

Looking for the developer console instead? It opens with F7 in a match; the crosshair guide shows how to turn it on and what to type.

Deadlock release date

There isn't one yet: the Steam page shows the release date as "To be announced". In the City Never Sleeps post of 29 September 2026 Valve called the game unfinished and said progression and hero and hideout customisation are features it wants to shape with player feedback first (Valve).

Your first matches

Start in Standard mode. It has no limits on party size, and the matchmaker accounts for how much you've played the hero you pick. Ranked opens after 60 Standard wins (Valve); the rules are on Deadlock ranks.

The hideout has a practice range for movement and abilities, and the older Sandbox is a teleporter away or in the Play menu (Valve).

Before picking a main, look up roles on Deadlock characters and this week's win rates in the Deadlock tier list. Lanes and objectives are in the Deadlock map guide.

FAQ

How do I get a Deadlock invite?: Ask a Steam friend who has the game to invite you, then accept it in Steam. Valve's Steam page says access is limited to friend invites from playtesters.
Is Deadlock on console?: No. Steam lists Windows as the only platform, and Valve hasn't announced PlayStation or Xbox versions.
Can I play Deadlock on Mac or Linux?: Not officially: the Steam page lists Windows only.
When does Deadlock come out?: Valve hasn't given a date. The Steam page says "To be announced" and the game is still in early development.