Exploring the Purpose of Deadlock’s $10k Invitational During Closed Alpha Phase

A two-day tournament for Deadlock is set to commence on October 4, marking the inaugural entry of Valve’s shooter/MOBA hybrid into the esports domain. However, some might argue that this launch is somewhat premature.

In collaboration with afterMath Esports, Deadlock Prime is introduced as a “brand new tournament platform,”beginning with an invitational offering a prize pool of $10,000 that will feature “top pros from several games.” Who will these pros be? The announcement shared on the game’s subreddit leaves that to be a surprise.

“We have worked hard to secure the best players possible to create an engaging and entertaining experience for you,” the statement highlighted, mentioning that details about “players, talent, and sponsors” would be revealed in the upcoming weeks.

Is it surprising? Given that Deadlock’s inherent genre is perfectly suited for competitive play, it’s absolutely not. The combination was anticipated, yet the timing raises eyebrows.

Deadlock Prime is the title of a new tournament platform in partnership with afterMath Esports.

Currently, Deadlock remains in Closed Alpha, and Valve still has a considerable journey to navigate before reaching the beta phase, not to mention a full public release. For competitive gaming, both stability and consistency are crucial—as much from an infrastructure perspective as from a gameplay standpoint. Unfortunately, Deadlock lacks both. How could it, when Valve has yet to finalize numerous aspects of the game?

Aside from the regular mid-match crashes that many players experience, which can be quite bothersome, the game’s meta is in constant flux. Continuous patches and reworks are expected from a project still finding its footing, which means heroes can quickly shift from being well-balanced to overly powerful with minimal adjustments.

“Deadlock is clearly not ready for tournament play. If the server manages to stay intact, there are still technical problems that worsen as the game progresses,” commented one player in response to the announcement. They added, “Not to mention the numerous glitches associated with character abilities that grant unfair advantages.”

Bebop is one of many heroes in Deadlock whose balance is prone to drastic variations.

Similarly, others expressed concerns regarding the constantly shifting meta. “It seems premature for grassroots tournaments because the game evolves significantly every couple of weeks. To me, they represent a showcase of the game’s current edge cases,” stated another player.

Despite the changing landscape, one could argue for the necessity of early exposure and marketing, but such efforts may not be critical. Deadlock already boasts a massive following, primarily through word of mouth. Long before Valve officially recognized the existence of the game, thousands were engaged in playing it. Following the lifting of the embargo, that figure surged to tens of thousands.

Gatekeeping becomes another serious issue. If the only participants invited to compete are established content creators with large followings, how can emerging players find their way to recognition?

Shroud playing Deadlock — Twitch: shroud

Shroud has participated in Deadlock multiple times.

“We shouldn’t endorse initiatives like this,” insisted one user, arguing that “This opens the door for individuals already established as pros in different games to dominate this one as well. A lot of players in this subreddit could excel, but the spotlight is on these pre-recognized pros first? Allow the top talent to emerge on their own merits.”

Among those “pre-established” players, both Shroud and Summit1g have played and shared opinions on Deadlock. However, it remains uncertain whether either streamer has received an invitation to join the tournament. If the list of participants consists solely of recognizable names, the concerns regarding gatekeeping become all the more valid.

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