If you’ve recently jumped into Riot Games’ fast-paced hero shooter Deadlock, you’ve probably asked yourself how many seasons of deadlock have launched since the game’s full release. It’s a common question for new players who want to catch up on missed battle pass rewards, understand how the game’s content cycle works, or plan their playtime for upcoming drops. I’ve been playing Deadlock daily since its open beta launch, so I’ve tracked every season rollout, content drop, and schedule shift firsthand to give you the most accurate, up-to-date info available. There’s a lot of conflicting info online about season counts, so I’ll break down exactly what counts as an official season, what doesn’t, and why you might see different numbers from different sources.
How Many Seasons of Deadlock Have Launched to Date?
As of the latest official updates from Riot Games, there are 3 full, official seasons of Deadlock that have been released to the global player base, plus a pre-season beta that ran before the official season 1 launch. Season 3 is currently active as of mid-2025, with no announced end date as of writing, though it’s expected to wrap up in late May of 2025 if the current schedule holds.
The pre-season beta ran for two months between May and June of 2024, and it included a limited 50-tier battle pass, basic ranked play, and a smaller roster of 12 heroes. Riot has explicitly stated this pre-season does not count as an official full season, as it was designed to test server stability, balance, and core game mechanics before the full launch. That’s why you may see some long-time players refer to 4 total seasons, but the official count shared by the game’s developers is 3.
Each official season has run for roughly 3 months so far, with minor extensions when the development team needed extra time to polish new content. Season 1, codenamed Breakout, launched in July 2024 and introduced the first full 100-tier battle pass, two new heroes, and the game’s first payload map. Season 2, codenamed Frontline, launched in October 2024 and added cross-play support between PC and console, a revamped ranking system to reduce smurfing, and a new capture-the-flag game mode. Season 3, codenamed Eclipse, launched in February 2025 and added a new support hero, a night-time map, and a 3v3 quick play mode for players who prefer shorter matches.
Key Differences Between Official Deadlock Seasons
Every official Deadlock season follows a consistent structure designed to keep the game feeling fresh without forcing players to grind nonstop to access core content. I’ve played through every season so far, and I’ve found the structure is fair for both casual players who log in a few hours a week and hardcore players who grind daily. Every official season includes the following core features:
- A free and premium battle pass with 100+ tiers of cosmetic rewards, including hero skins, weapon camos, emotes, player banners, and in-game currency. The free track is available to all players, while the premium track costs $9.99 and includes extra exclusive cosmetics.
- At least one new playable hero, plus balance updates for existing characters to shift the meta and prevent any single hero from being too overpowered. All new heroes are free for every player, no purchase required.
- A seasonal ranked mode reset, with exclusive rewards for players who hit Gold rank or higher, including unique badges, weapon skins, and titles that show off your rank for the rest of the year.
- One new game mode or map, plus quality of life updates based on player feedback from the prior season. Past updates have included things like better ping reporting, improved chat filters, and customizable control schemes for controller players.
That means you don’t have to worry about missing core gameplay content if you skip a premium battle pass, as all new heroes, maps, and balance changes are free for every player. The only paid content is cosmetic, so you never have to pay to win. I’ve skipped a premium pass once when I was busy with work, and I never felt like I was at a disadvantage compared to players who bought it. The only thing I missed was some cool skins, which didn’t affect my ability to win matches.
Common Misconceptions About Deadlock Season Counts
A lot of new players get confused about the official season count for a few common reasons, and I’ve seen these misconceptions spread across social media and gaming forums pretty regularly. First, as I mentioned earlier, the pre-season beta is often counted as a full season by players who were around for it, but Riot doesn’t recognize it as official because it was only a test run. The pre-season battle pass had far fewer rewards, no ranked end-of-season rewards, and a lot of bugs that were fixed before season 1 launched.
Second, some regional servers got access to season 1 a week earlier than others, so you may see posts from players saying they played season 1 in June, even though the global launch was in July. These early access launches were only for a small number of regions to test server load before the full global rollout, so they don’t count as a separate season. All season 1 content was identical across all regions once the global launch happened.
Third, limited-time event passes that run mid-season are not counted as separate seasons, even if they have their own reward tracks. For example, the Winter Holiday event that ran during season 2 had its own 50-tier pass with holiday-themed skins and emotes, but it was a side event that ran alongside the regular season 2 battle pass, not a full standalone season. Another common mistake is counting the internal test seasons that were only available to Riot employees and invited content creators before the open beta. Those test runs were never available to the general public, and most of the content was unfinished, so they don’t count toward the official total either.
What to Expect From Future Deadlock Seasons
Riot has shared that they plan to stick to a 3-month season cycle for the foreseeable future, though they may extend a season by a week or two if they need extra time to polish new content. You can expect at least 4 official seasons per year as long as the game keeps its current player count and update schedule. They’ve also teased that future seasons will add more cross-over content with other Riot titles, though they haven’t shared specific details yet. Many players are hoping for skins and heroes from Valorant and League of Legends to make their way to Deadlock in future seasons.
Riot has also said they’re exploring adding seasonal story content that ties into the broader Riot Games universe, similar to how Valorant and League of Legends have ongoing storylines that progress with each season. They haven’t confirmed if that will start with season 4 or later, but it’s something a lot of long-time players are excited for. If you’re someone who cares about game lore, that’s a good reason to keep an eye on future season announcements.
If you’re worried about missing out on a battle pass, you can usually get a 2-week heads up before a new season launches via the in-game notification system or official Deadlock social media accounts. I always set a reminder for 3 days before a season ends to grind out the last few tiers of my battle pass, and it’s saved me from missing out on limited skins multiple times. You can also purchase tier skips with in-game currency if you’re short on time, but I usually find that 2-3 hours of play a week is enough to finish the full 100 tiers of a battle pass over the course of a 3-month season.
At the end of the day, the exact answer to how many seasons of deadlock exist officially is 3, with a fourth expected to launch in mid-2025 if the current schedule holds. Whether you’re a new player just starting out or a veteran who’s been around since the beta, understanding the season cycle can help you get the most out of your playtime and avoid missing limited content you care about. Old limited-time seasonal rewards are never re-released, so plan your grind accordingly if you have your eye on a specific skin or emote. If you have more questions about season rewards or ranked resets, you can check the official in-game help center for the latest updates as they’re released.