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Deadlock’splaytest may be closed to the general public, but if you or one of your friends already has access to the game, getting in becomes very easy. The game is already a ton of fun even in its early development build, and it only gets better if played with a lobby full of buddies.
As many players already know, theDeadlockplaytest is invite-only. However, Valve is very generous when it comes to giving invitations (evenCEO Gabe Newell was more than happy to provide one). If you want to give your friends access to the game, or if you want to know how you can team up with other players, here’s a guide to help you do both.
How To Invite Friends To The Deadlock Playtest
Assuming that youreceived aDeadlockinvitation for yourself, you can invite your friends to play the game with you bysending them a playtest invitation from the main menu screen. If you look in the lower right corner of the menu, you’ll see an “Invite Your Friends” button highlighted in turqoise blue right below the matchmaking status and Discord invitation widgets. Click on this button to open a new window containing all your friends. Hover your mouse over their nametag, and an invite button will appear.
As of writing,Deadlockinvitations can take anywhere between 30 minutes to two days before they arrive. Tell your friends to keep an eye on their Steam inbox so they don’t miss your invitation. If they have their accounts linked to Steam’s mobile app, a notification will also appear on their phones once the invitation arrives.
How Many Friends Can You Invite To Deadlock?
There doesn’t appear to be a limit to how many friends one can invite to the game. You’re free to send as many as you want. You can also hand out invitations to strangers online via Discord or Reddit. Just ask people for their Steam friend codes, and invite them as per the steps above. Keep in mind that whileDeadlockhas hero shooter elements, it plays and feels much closer to some ofthe best MOBA games of all time, like Dota and League of Legends.
When Will The Deadlock Playtest End?
There is currentlyno official end date for theDeadlockplaytest as of writing. However, if playtests for other Valve games likeDotA 2orCounter-Strike 2are to be considered, then it’s likely thatDeadlock’swill be available until the game is fully released.
How To Invite Friends To Deadlock Lobbies
If your friends already have access to the game, and you all want to play together, all you need to do isclick on the “Play with Friends” button below your user profilein the upper-right corner of the main menu screen. This will open yet another friends' list window, but this time, any invitations you send here will instead invite your friends to your party.
Alternatively, you’re able to invite strangers into your lobbyvia party codes.To do this, go to the Play with Friends screen, then click on the “Create Party Code to Share” button. This will put you in a party that anyone can join, granted they have the code that’s sitting right above the party members list.
Once everyone is grouped up, select any of the matchmaking activities from the Play menu, and everyone will get queued up for whatever activity you choose.Pick your heroes, discuss your strategies, and may the best team win. Don’t forget to pay attention to the matchmaking timer on the main menu.
