If you’ve been grinding matches in Valve’s new 6v6 hero shooter, you’ve almost certainly wondered is deadlock crossplay supported so you can squad up with friends no matter what device they use. The game exploded in popularity during its early access launch, with players jumping in from Steam, GeForce Now, and even testing console ports in closed beta. But cross-platform functionality is one of the most requested features for modern multiplayer games, so it makes sense fans are eager for clear answers. We’ve pulled together all official updates, community test results, and developer comments to break down exactly what’s available right now, and what’s coming down the line.
Is Deadlock Crossplay Currently Available for All Platforms?
As of the latest early access update, full crossplay support is not yet rolled out for all platforms, but there are a few key exceptions that many players don’t know about. Right now, the game is only officially available for Windows PC via Steam, but players accessing the game through cloud streaming services like GeForce Now can still play with people running the native Steam version. That means if your friend is playing on their laptop via GeForce Now while you’re on your desktop Steam install, you can queue for matches together with no issues. There’s no crossplay support for console or mobile versions right now, simply because those ports haven’t launched publicly yet. Valve has confirmed that console ports are in active development, but there’s no official release date for PlayStation or Xbox versions as of now.
What Cross-Functional Features Are Available Right Now?
Even though full cross-platform play isn’t available across non-PC devices yet, there are a handful of cross-functional features that work for all eligible players right now. Cross-progression is fully supported for all Steam accounts, no matter if you’re playing on a native Windows install or a cloud streaming service. All your unlocks, rank progress, in-game currency, and cosmetic items are tied to your Steam account, so you can log in from any supported device and pick up right where you left off. You don’t have to do anything extra to enable cross-progression – it’s turned on by default for all accounts when you first launch the game. Valve has also noted that when console ports do launch, cross-progression between PC and console will be available as long as you link your Steam account to your console profile.
Many players have reported that they can even access their account from shared library Steam accounts, as long as the main account owns the game, though that functionality is not officially supported and may be removed in later updates. So, if you’re only playing with other PC or cloud streaming players, you already have most of the cross functionality you need. Just make sure all of you have updated to the latest game patch, as older builds sometimes can’t connect to the same lobbies as the most recent version.
Known Limitations for Existing Crossplay Functionality
While the limited crossplay that exists right now works for most PC players, there are a few notable limitations you should be aware of before you try to squad up with friends. First, players using modified or third-party Steam clients can’t join lobbies with players using the official Steam build, to prevent cheating and exploit use. Valve has a strict anti-cheat policy for Deadlock, so any modified client will be locked out of public lobbies entirely. Cross-region play is allowed, but you may experience higher ping if you queue with friends who live in a different server region than you. You can adjust your server region in the game settings to match your squad if you want to reduce lag, but you may see longer queue times as a result. There’s also no support for crossplay between the Steam version of the game and any leaked or pirated copies, which should go without saying, but many new players have reached out to ask about this recently. Pirated copies can only connect to private, unofficial servers, and you risk getting your IP banned from official servers if you try to switch between pirated and official builds.
Another small limitation is that cloud streaming players may experience slightly longer load times than native PC players, which doesn’t affect crossplay functionality but can lead to a short wait at the start of matches. This isn’t a problem with the game itself, just a standard limitation of cloud streaming services depending on your internet speed.
Future Plans for Full Deadlock Crossplay Support
Valve has been pretty open about their plans for crossplay once the game moves out of early access and launches on more platforms. The developer has stated multiple times in official community Q&As that full crossplay between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox will be available when console versions launch. They’re also exploring support for crossplay with a potential mobile port, but that’s still in the very early planning stages, so don’t expect that any time soon. Cross-play between PC and console will be optional, so you can turn it off if you only want to match with players on the same platform as you. That’s a common request from competitive players who worry about input method advantages, so it’s good to see Valve prioritizing player choice here. The team has also confirmed that they’re working on support for cross-party invites between different platform accounts, so you won’t have to rely on third-party messaging apps to send invites to friends on console once that feature rolls out.
There’s no exact timeline for when full crossplay will launch, but Valve has noted that it will come at the same time as the official console release, which is expected sometime after the game leaves early access. The team is currently focused on fixing bugs, balancing heroes, and adding new content before they shift focus to porting the game to other platforms, so it may still be a year or more before we see full crossplay support for all systems.
At the end of the day, if you’re asking is deadlock crossplay available right now, the answer is yes for PC and cloud streaming players, but not yet for console or mobile users. The limited cross functionality that exists now works seamlessly for most players who are already in the early access build, and Valve has made it clear that full cross-platform support is a top priority for future updates. Make sure you only download the official Steam build of the game to ensure you can access all crossplay features as they roll out, and keep an eye on official developer updates for news about console launch dates. You won’t have to wait too much longer to squad up with all your friends no matter what device they use, as long as you’re patient through the early access period.