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

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 arena. However, some may question whether this endeavor is a bit premature.

In collaboration with afterMath Esports, Deadlock Prime is a “brand new tournament platform,” with its first event being a $10,000 invitational that will feature “top pros from several games.” Who are these professional players? “That surprise is yet to come,” teased the organizers in the announcement made on the game’s subreddit.

“We have worked hard to lock down the best players possible to create an engaging and entertaining experience for you,” the statement continued, indicating that “players, talent, and sponsors” will be revealed in the coming weeks.

While the competitive potential of Deadlock is evident due to its native genre, the timing of this tournament raises some concerns.

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

Currently, Deadlock is still in Closed Alpha, and Valve has a long way to go before reaching the beta phase, let alone a full public release. For successful competitive play, stability and consistency are crucial—not only from an infrastructure perspective but also from a gameplay standpoint. At this stage, Deadlock lacks both. How can it not, when Valve hasn’t finalized many of the game’s complexities?

Setting aside personal experiences of frequent mid-match crashes, the game’s meta is continuously shifting. Regular patches and adjustments are typical for a title still in its developmental phase, resulting in characters swinging from being perfectly balanced to overwhelmingly powerful almost overnight.

“Deadlock is very much not ready for tournament play. If the server doesn’t crash, there are technical issues that worsen during late-game,” remarked one player in response to the announcement. “Not to mention the numerous glitches related to character abilities that grant unfair advantages,” they added.

Bebop is one of several Deadlock heroes whose balance has varied wildly.

Similarly, other players expressed concerns about the ever-evolving meta landscape. “It’s a bit too early for grassroots tournaments because the game evolves so drastically every couple of weeks. These tournaments feel more like showcases of current edge cases,” commented another player.

Despite the transience, one could argue that starting early could foster exposure and marketing. However, involvement in the esports scene isn’t particularly necessary at this stage since Deadlock already enjoys a massive following largely through word of mouth. Before Valve officially recognized the game, thousands were playing it, and following the lift of the embargo, that number soared into the tens of thousands.

Concerns about gatekeeping also arise. If only well-known content creators are invited to participate, how can aspiring players make a name for themselves?

Shroud playing Deadlock — Twitch: shroud

Shroud has played Deadlock numerous times.

“We shouldn’t support this kind of practice,” one user insisted, suggesting that “this invites established pros from other games to dominate in Deadlock. There are talented players here, but they won’t get recognized because the competitions are preoccupied with known names. Let the best players naturally rise to the top.”

Among those identified as “established”players, Shroud and Summit1g have both played and commented on Deadlock. Whether or not these creators will participate remains uncertain, but if the roster consists solely of instantly recognizable names, the concerns regarding gatekeeping would be justified.

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