Want to play the Deadlock playtest? Now that Valve has officially announced their upcoming live service shooter after keeping it a ‘secret’, players are allowed to stream and share their experiences of the game so far, with gameplay footage appearing on Twitch and YouTube already.
Valve’s upcoming game is, surprisingly, a competitive shooter to rival the likes of Valorant, Apex Legends, and Overwatch 2. There’s even a Steam store page that sadly doesn’t announce a release date, but does confirm that Deadlock is very much a thing, and it’s in early development. People are already playing it through a closed playtest, so if you want the chance to jump in, here’s how.
Deadlock playtest and beta signups
While you can’t sign up for the first Deadlock playtest, there are a few ways to get into the game. You’ll either need to be invited by Valve, or get a referral by someone who is already in the playtest.
To get a referral, you’ll need to be friends on Steam, where they’ll be able to invite you to the game through the in-game menu. The invite can take around two days to appear, but it usually arrives in a few hours. Be warned, it’s not instant, so be patient. It’s also not a sure thing that the invite will work, as Valve has the right to cap invites, revoke invites, or limit players, though plans to do this haven’t been announced yet.
So for a chance to get an invite to the Deadlock playtest, you’ll need to know someone who has access to the game. If you’re waiting for access, here are some of the best multiplayer games and best Steam games to play in the meantime.