If you’ve been scrolling through gaming forums or TikTok clips of the fast-paced new MOBA taking the internet by storm, you’ve probably seen other players talking about exclusive access codes. Knowing how to claim deadlock invite correctly can save you from falling for common scams, wasting hours on fake giveaways, and getting locked out of the game before it even launches to the general public. I’ve tested every legitimate access route over the past three months, and I’m breaking down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to watch out for before you submit any personal information online.
Pre-Requisites You Need Before You Learn How to Claim Deadlock Invite
Before you even start searching for an invite, there are a few basic requirements you need to meet to be eligible for access. The first is an active Steam account that’s at least 30 days old, because Valve’s system automatically filters out brand-new accounts to prevent bot farmers from hoarding invites. Your account must also have a valid phone number linked – no virtual phone numbers are allowed, and accounts without a verified number will never be selected for access.
You also can’t have any active VAC bans or Steam community bans from the past 12 months to qualify. If you’ve been banned for cheating in other Valve games like Dota 2 or Counter-Strike 2, your invite application will be rejected immediately. You don’t need thousands of hours of MOBA playtime to qualify despite what you might see online – the selection process is mostly random, with only a small weighting for players who have participated in past Valve playtests.
One common mistake I see new players make is creating 10 different Steam accounts to submit multiple applications. Don’t do this – Valve’s system can detect duplicate accounts linked to the same IP address or phone number, and you’ll end up getting all your accounts blocked from ever receiving an invite.
Legitimate Routes to Get a Valid Deadlock Invite
There are only three confirmed, scam-free ways to get a Deadlock invite right now, and none of them require you to spend money or share sensitive personal information. I’ve tested all three routes personally, and I’ve helped 11 of my friends get access using these methods over the past two months:
Each route has its own pros and cons. The Steam playtest sign-up is completely risk-free, but the wait time can be anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on how many invites Valve is sending out that week. Creator giveaways have a faster turnaround, but you’ll be competing with thousands of other players for a small number of codes. Friend invites are the fastest option by far, but only if you already know someone who plays the game regularly.
You never have to pay for a valid Deadlock invite – Valve doesn’t sell access codes, and any code being sold online is either stolen, fake, or will get your account banned when you try to redeem it.
Common Scams to Avoid When Looking for Deadlock Invites
Since the game is still in closed playtest, scammers are everywhere trying to take advantage of players who are eager to get access. The most common scam right now is people selling “instant invite codes” on sites like eBay or Discord for $15 to $30. These codes are either fake, already used, or generated with stolen accounts, and 98% of people who buy them end up losing their money and getting nothing in return. For example, I saw a Discord server last week that promised instant invites for $20, and over 12 users reported losing their money and having their Steam accounts hacked after signing up.
Another common scam is fake giveaway links sent via Discord DM or random email. These links look exactly like the official Steam login page, but when you enter your username and password, the scammers steal your account information and lock you out. Always check the URL of any page asking for your Steam login – official Valve pages will always end in steampowered.com, no exceptions.
You should also avoid any sites that ask you to complete 10+ surveys or download random apps to get an invite. These sites don’t actually have any codes to give away – they just make money from your survey responses and app downloads, and you’ll never receive an invite after you finish all the steps.
What to Do After You Receive Your Deadlock Invite
When you get an invite notification, the first thing you need to do is verify that it’s actually from Valve. Official invite emails will always come from an address ending in @valvesoftware.com, and they will never ask you to enter your password or any personal information directly in the email. If you get an invite from any other email address, delete it immediately – it’s a scam.
Once you confirm the email is real, click the link in the email to be redirected to the Steam store page, and the game will automatically be added to your library. You can then download it directly through the Steam client, no extra codes needed. Don’t share your invite link with anyone else – each link is tied to your specific Steam account, and if someone else redeems it first, you’ll lose your access.
After you log in for the first time, make sure you enable two-factor authentication on your Steam account if you haven’t already. This will prevent scammers from stealing your account and your Deadlock access. After you play for 10 hours, you’ll get your own extra invite codes to send to friends, so you can bring other people into the game with you.
At the end of the day, knowing how to claim deadlock invite the right way is all about sticking to legitimate sources and avoiding offers that sound too good to be true. You don’t need to pay money, share sensitive personal information, or jump through dozens of random hoops to get access. If you follow the steps I’ve outlined here, you’ll be able to join the game safely as soon as an invite becomes available, without risking your Steam account or your personal data. Just be patient, and you’ll be playing matches before you know it.