Deadlock has guns, but that doesn't make it a shooter

GamesMOBADeadlockDeadlock has guns, but that doesn’t make it a shooterWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Valve)

A hero in combat

Deadlock as a Steam page, tens of thousands are playing its closed alpha, and even more are watching streamers play it on Twitch. Valve’s next competitive game isfinally in the public eye, but beyond the general sentiment that it’s fun, the community hasn’t fully nailed down what Deadlock is or even who it’s for.

I’ve seen every kind of Deadlock take at this point—that it’s basically just Dota 2 in third-person, that it’s eating the lunches of Smite and Predecessor, or that it’s Valve’s big play at a hero shooter. It’s that last claim that got my attention. Using “shooter” and “Valve” the same sentence is a sort of PC gaming activation phrase that inspires haggard FPS veterans to emerge from their forgotten server browsers, following an ember of hope that the legendary studio that nurtured multiple successful multiplayer FPSes in the mid-aughts is finally coloring with a full box of crayons again. That’s what I hoped, at least.

Sorry if I’m the one breaking the news for you: Deadlock is a game where you shoot guns, but it isn’t really a shooter.

I’ve spent a lot of my Deadlock time so far wondering if it’s even worth shooting at a guy, which isn’t the best feeling in a supposed shooter. When I meet my lane rivals at the beginning of a match and start trading shots, it doesn’t feel like we’re in a gunfight. It’s more like we’re just annoyingly tossing rocks at each other, daring the other one to cross the invisible threshold where you’re too far forward to safely run away to a Patron for healing.

In the same way that I’d never describe Dota 2 as a melee action game to a friend, I wouldn’t call Deadlock a shooter.

Shroud Plays DEADLOCK For the First Time - YouTubeWatch On

Shroud Plays DEADLOCK For the First Time - YouTube

To describe how Deadlock plays is to describe how any MOBA plays, which is why it’s been confusing to see people talk about Deadlock like it’s an undiscovered species. In the same way that I’d never describe Dota 2 as a melee action game to a friend, I wouldn’t call Deadlock a shooter, either. Guns are just Valve’s chosen medium for expressing essentially the same skills as a Dota 2 or League of Legends.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

I don’t mean to underplay the value in that. It’s been interesting to watch streamersknown for competitive FPSes take an interestin a new MOBA. You don’t see that every day. Maybe what’s making the difference is that Deadlock has just enough shooter in it to cast a wide net—the familiarity of its Fortnite-like controls and the opportunities to nail skill shots in a 3D space. There are other third-person MOBAs, but none with Deadlock’s verticality and freedom of movement. But I do push back on the idea that Deadlock is going to be so universally appealing that it sucks up all the players from full-body, twitchy, reflexiveshooterslike Overwatch, Apex Legends, or even Team Fortress 2. They’re playing to different crowds.

Deadlock’s shooting isn’t going to suddenly make you like MOBAs if you hate everything else about them, but it will be the key to unlocking MOBAs for a huge chunk of people who love a variety of competitive games but have never wrapped their heads around isometric cameras and click-to-move. (Who can blame them? Clicking to move sucks.)

I’m happy for those people. I am not one of those people. When I open Deadlock’s item shop, I don’t see the excitement of hundreds of build combinations, I get anxious sweats. It’s personally disappointing that Valve’s newest shooter isn’t really a shooter, but I’m glad we’re getting it out in the open when Deadlock is still early in development. Guess I’ll retreat back to my FPS hole and reemerge the next time a Half-Life 3 rumor appears.

Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours

TOPICSValve

TOPICS

More about moba

Vindicta standing next to a shop

Mel from Arcane stares, contemplatively, in a new trailer for Season 1 of League of Legends 2025.

League of Legends' new season trailer is basically an epilogue to Arcane with 6 new Fortiche champion redesigns in it—so if it’s not a preview of the upcoming Noxus show, I’ll eat my hat

LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11See more latest►

Latest

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

Wordle answers

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

See more latest►

Most Popular

The Witcher 3’s now 2-year-old bonus quest is our first taste of the ‘vibe’ CD Projekt is going for in The Witcher 4

2024 was the year updates for old games beat out all the new ones for me

Train like you game with this adventure-inspired workout

‘It’s simply impossible to make a difficulty level that’s just right for all players’: How Final Fantasy 14’s lead battle designer has been playing a precarious balancing game for Dawntrail’s dungeons and raids

Please join me in getting super excited for all the cool looking survival games coming in 2025 (and beyond)

Competitive shooters are at a crucial crossroads in 2025: ‘sweaty’ teamplay vs. casual fun

Call of Duty’s $28 Squid Game skins are the perfect crossover for our capitalist dystopia, and Activision knows exactly what it’s doing

These are the 14 biggest upcoming RPGs of 2025—get ready for another amazing year for the genre

Five new Steam games you probably missed (January 6, 2025)

I’ve seen enough: No more forcing singleplayer studios to make mediocre live service games

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals