Guide

How to Get Deadlock

Invites, accepting them, and where the release date stands.

Updated Oct 11, 12:00 UTC·Refreshed daily from public match data·Methodology

How do you get Deadlock?

Deadlock has no public release date yet — Steam lists it as “To be announced” (checked October 11, 2026). During Valve's playtest you get in through an invite: a friend who already plays opens Deadlock, chooses Invite Friends and picks you from their Steam friends list. Accept the invite on Steam, and Deadlock shows up in your library to install. Once you're in, you can invite your own friends the same way. Then start with our beginner guide and the tier list.

Step by step

1
Get on a player's friends list
Add someone who already has Deadlock as a Steam friend — invites only go to friends.
2
They send the invite
In Deadlock's main menu they open Invite Friends and pick your name.
3
Accept on Steam
Accept the Steam notification; Deadlock appears in your library. Install and play.

Already in? There are 41 heroes to pick from — see the full character list.

Getting Deadlock FAQ

Does Deadlock have a release date?＋

Not yet. As of October 11, 2026, the Steam store page lists the release date as "To be announced". Deadlock is still in Valve's invite-based playtest.

How do I invite a friend to Deadlock?＋

Open Deadlock, use the Invite Friends option in the main menu and pick your friend from your Steam friends list. They need to be on your Steam friends list first.

How do I accept a Deadlock invite?＋

Your friend's invite arrives through Steam. Accept it from the Steam notification, then Deadlock appears in your Steam library and you can install it. If you don't see it, restart Steam.

Is Deadlock free?＋

Deadlock is not sold on Steam yet; access during the playtest comes through invites.

Can I get Deadlock without an invite?＋

During the playtest, access comes through an invite from someone who already has it. Valve has changed access rules before, so check the official Steam page for the latest.