If you’ve spent any time on gaming social media lately, you’ve probably seen clips of Deadlock, Valve’s chaotic new 6v6 hero shooter that blends fast-paced gunplay with MOBA-style ability sets. The game is still in closed testing, and demand for access is so high that thousands of players are searching for legitimate ways to join the ongoing trial. If you’re one of them, you’re probably wondering how to get into the deadlock playtest without falling for the dozens of scams floating around online. This guide breaks down every official step, common pitfalls to skip, and legitimate hacks to boost your chances of getting an invite sooner rather than later.
How to Get Into the Deadlock Playtest: Official Eligibility & Signup Steps
Valve only uses official channels for playtest signups, so you don’t have to jump through weird hoops to apply. First, make sure you have a valid Steam account that’s in good standing. What counts as good standing? No active VAC bans for multiplayer games in the last 24 months, no community restrictions for harassment or scam activity, and a verified email address linked to the account.
Next, head to the official Deadlock store page on Steam. You don’t have to search for hidden links, it’s publicly listed for all users. Scroll down past the game description and system requirements until you see a section marked “Playtest” with a button that says “Request Access”. Click that button, and follow the prompts to confirm your account details. You’ll get a confirmation email sent to your linked Steam email within 10 minutes if your request went through successfully.
Never pay third-party sites for guaranteed Deadlock playtest access – Valve does not sell or distribute playtest slots through any partners, so any site asking for your credit card information or Steam login in exchange for access is a scam that will either steal your data or take your money and give you nothing. It’s also important to note that signing up once is enough. You don’t need to submit multiple requests from the same account, that won’t boost your chances, and it might even flag your account as spam, pushing you further down the priority list.
Common Reasons Your Deadlock Playtest Request Gets Overlooked
A lot of players sign up for the playtest and wait months without hearing anything, and most of the time it’s for a simple, fixable reason. If you haven’t gotten an invite yet, check if any of these apply to you. Even small oversights can push your application to the bottom of the priority list, so it’s worth double-checking every part of your signup.
- Your Steam account has an active VAC ban for multiplayer games less than 2 years old. Valve prioritizes accounts with a clean history to reduce the risk of cheaters ruining the playtest experience for other participants.
- You didn’t verify the confirmation email sent after you submitted your playtest request. A lot of people miss this step because the email lands in their spam folder, so make sure to check your promotions and spam tabs after you sign up.
- You created a brand new Steam account specifically to sign up for the playtest. Valve prioritizes established accounts with a history of playing Valve games, because new accounts are far more likely to be used for cheating or reselling playtest slots.
- You live in a region that is not included in the current playtest rollout. Valve typically rolls out playtest access to North America and Europe first, before expanding to Asia, South America, and other regions as server capacity increases.
Even if none of these apply to you, it’s still normal to wait a few weeks for an invite. Valve rolls out access in batches, usually every 2 to 3 weeks, as they fix major bugs and add more server capacity. Valve prioritizes accounts with a history of constructive feedback in previous Valve betas, so if you participated in the CS2 beta or Dota 2 custom game testing and submitted bug reports or feedback, you’re far more likely to get picked for the Deadlock playtest early on.
Legitimate Tips to Speed Up Your Playtest Access
While there’s no way to guarantee you’ll get an invite immediately, there are a few small things you can do to push your application higher up the priority list, no scams required. First, opt in to Steam Beta participation in your account settings. This signals to Valve that you’re already interested in testing new platform features and game updates, so you’re more likely to be a reliable playtest participant. You can turn this on by opening Steam, clicking “Settings” in the top left menu, selecting “Interface”, and checking the box that says “Participate in Steam client beta”.
Second, make sure your Steam profile is set to public for at least 72 hours after you submit your playtest request. The algorithm that picks playtest participants automatically pulls data about your play history, and if your profile is private, it can’t access that data to verify you meet the eligibility criteria. Setting your Steam profile to public for a few days after signing up can cut your wait time in half, according to community reports from players who’ve already gotten invites.
Third, follow the official Deadlock X (Twitter) and TikTok accounts. The team regularly runs small community events, like fan art contests or quick player experience surveys, that give out guaranteed playtest slots to winners. You don’t have to be a professional artist to win, either – most of the contests reward creativity over skill. There is no official referral program for Deadlock playtest access as of the latest update, so any post you see promising access if you refer 5 friends to a link is a phishing scam designed to steal your Steam login information. Never click links from accounts you don’t recognize, even if they claim to be from the Deadlock team.
What to Do After You Receive Your Playtest Invite
Getting that “You’re invited to the Deadlock playtest” email in your inbox is exciting, but there are a few things you should do first before you jump into the game. First, verify that the email is actually from Valve. Official emails from Steam will always come from an address ending in @steampowered.com or @valvesoftware.com, and they will never ask you to enter your Steam password in a link outside of the official Steam site or app. If you get an email from a random address claiming to be a playtest invite, delete it immediately.
Second, accept the invite within 48 hours of receiving it. Unaccepted invites get automatically reallocated to other players on the waitlist, so if you wait too long, you’ll lose your spot and have to reapply. Once you accept the invite, the game will appear in your Steam library, and you can download it right away. While you’re playing, make sure to submit feedback regularly. The whole point of a playtest is to help the dev team fix bugs, balance hero abilities, and improve the overall game experience before full launch. You don’t have to write a 10-page report every time you play – even a quick note about a bug you ran into or a hero that feels too overpowered is helpful.
Submitting detailed, constructive feedback during the playtest can get you automatic access to future testing phases and exclusive in-game rewards at launch, according to the official Deadlock team. Also, make sure to read the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) that pops up when you first launch the game. Some playtest phases prohibit streaming or posting gameplay clips online, and violating that NDA can get you banned from the playtest and the full game when it launches. If you’re not sure if you can post content, check the official Deadlock social media accounts for updates.
At the end of the day, getting into the deadlock playtest is mostly a mix of following official steps, being patient, and avoiding the dozens of scams that pop up whenever a highly anticipated new game enters testing. You don’t have to pay for access, or give your account information to random third-party sites, or jump through weird hoops to get an invite. If you follow the steps laid out in this guide, you’ll have a much higher chance of getting into the playtest early, and you’ll avoid the risk of getting your Steam account stolen or banned. Even if you don’t get an invite right away, don’t stress – the full launch of Deadlock is expected to be free to play for all users, so you’ll be able to jump in and play with your friends soon enough.