Summary

  • Closed alpha testers of Valve's upcoming MOBA, Deadlock, are already encountering cheaters in the unreleased game.
  • Valve has encouraged players to report in-game cheating and promised to work on "larger anti-cheat systems" for Deadlock.
  • Despite early cheating issues, Deadlock's hype is growing, with over 40,000 players in the closed alpha test.

Players participating in the closed alpha test of Valve's upcoming MOBA, Deadlock, are reportedly already encountering cheaters within the unreleased game. The highly-anticipated new title from Valve has seen plenty of buzz revolving around the game's early testing period, even before the new MOBA's official reveal. Deadlock was already seeing player counts above 10,000 in the early testing phases before Valve had officially announced the new hybrid of third-person shooters and MOBAs. Now, the game is having issues with players cheating in the alpha test.

Valve's newest IP was already a topic of discussion even before the developer officially revealed its next title late last week. Rumors and leaks had swirled around the new Valve game, said to feature a unique cross between shooters and MOBAs, and many fans noticed the game ramping up its testing earlier this month. Valve would finally officially announce Deadlock, with the Steam page for the game's early test version going live on Friday. However, fans playing in the game's closed alpha are reporting early issues with in-game cheaters.

white Valve logo with drop shadow over blurred and red-tinted Deadlock teaser screenshot
Valve Officially Reveals New Game

Following several months' worth of gameplay leaks and years of industry rumors, Valve's next game is finally officially announced.

Valve's Deadlock Already Reporting In-Game Cheaters

As reported by Dexerto, Deadlock's closed alpha has become the victim of cheaters making their way into the game's testing period. Valve has already made a statement to the game's testing community, encouraging players to report in-game cheating with the studio working on "larger anti-cheat systems." While Valve did not confirm any specific cheats being used, fans have speculated that Deadlock may fall victim to similar styles of cheats to Counter-Strike 2, including aimbots and wall hacks. Access to Deadlock is currently limited to players being invited by friends who are already participating in the closed alpha.

The early cheating issues in Deadlock should be nothing new to Valve, with the company often dealing with cheaters in its other competitive games. Games like Counter-Strike 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive are notorious for cheaters abusing third-party software to gain an unfair advantage, with Valve often taking sweeping action against cheaters. Deadlock is said to use Valve's proprietary "Valve Anti-Cheat" software for its in-game cheat prevention, with many fans suggesting the service is insufficient at combating cheaters in Valve's other games.

While cheating is now believed to be an issue in Deadlock's testing period, the game's hype shows no signs of slowing down. Just days ahead of the game's official announcement, Deadlock boasted a higher player count than Helldivers 2, with more than 40,000 players in the closed alpha test. Valve also recently allowed footage from the game's closed alpha to be shared publicly, giving fans their first look at the upcoming MOBA. With plenty of eyes on the game, Deadlock is set to make a major splash when it finally fully launches.

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Deadlock Tag Page Cover Art
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Shooter
MOBA
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Systems
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Developer(s)
Valve
Publisher(s)
Valve
Engine
Source2
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Deadlock is an upcoming game from Valve which seemingly combines elements of the MOBA and hero shooter genres. As it is still in early development, gameplay and assets may be incomplete. Access is granted via friend invites.

Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
Shooter, MOBA