Deadlock’s Updated Ranked Mode And Matchmaking Systems Divide Player Opinions
It hasn’t released yet, but Valve’s upcoming 6v6 third-person MOBA, Deadlock, has received an update to its matchmaking. The invite-only game has added unranked matchmaking and revamped the ranked system.
The update has divided opinions. Specifically, players have hit out at the entry requirements, as well as the system’s slow progression.
Ranked Entry Requirements
To even get into the ranked mode system, players must have three heroes with at least 15 unranked wins each. And, players can only play as heroes with whom they have 15 wins. For some players, that’s too high a demand.
But many point out that the unique hero selection system demands that players have a pool of heroes they can use. There’s also a ban system, which sees two heroes banned, so the three-hero selection ensures that the matchmaking system can effectively pick players for everybody.
Ranking Difficulty
More complaints targeted ranking requirements. Players gain or lose ranking points according to match performances. Unless you’re winning every game, it can take dozens or even hundreds of games to progress to a new rank.
Again, though, some community members defended the system, pointing out that if a player is winning 50% of their games, they’re likely in the right rank.
Finally, another area of the update that has drawn ire is the limited party sizes in ranked mode. Whereas larger groups of friends could previously team up, the new update limits this to solo or duos. Valve has said it will monitor this situation and may make changes in future updates.
Invite Only Beta
Deadlock is a third-person shooter MOBA title. It is set in a noir New-York setting, and pits two teams of six to try and defeat the opposition’s Patron. The game is in closed beta and, after two years, remains in invite-only testing.
Getting an invite isn’t that difficult, though, as any existing tester can send out invites, and there are community megathreads and Discord servers that can expedite the process.
The ease with which you can get an invitation helps explain how the game currently has a player count of around 75,000 players and enjoyed a peak player count of more than 170,000 in September 2024, according to SteamDB.
Deadlock Esports
Valve has not yet given a release date, but the game’s format, and its ranking system, means it has serious potential to become a popular esports title in the future.
League of Legends and Dota 2 are the most popular MOBA esports titles on PC at the moment, while Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang are very popular mobile MOBA hits. All featured in this year’s Esports World Cup.
Deadlock’s early player count, and Valve’s experience with Dota 2, gives it real potential.
