Deadlock: a shooter with a MOBA underneath it
Deadlock sits between two genres, and so does what you would buy for it. What Valve has shipped for anti-cheat so far, what it has said is coming, and what is still unknown.
Short answer
Deadlock has run an early Valve anti-cheat since September 2024, and reporting says it loads no kernel driver. Valve has said a fuller one is coming. The game mixes a shooter's aim with a MOBA's map, so advice for both genres applies to it. This store sells no cheat for Deadlock, DMA or external.
On this page6
What anti-cheat does Deadlock have so far?
ReportedReporting says Valve added a first-pass anti-cheat to Deadlock in a September 2024 update and called it an early version of what it planned. ReportedThe same reporting says it loads no kernel-mode driver, and that a Valve developer has more than once called a fuller system a high priority. Take that seriously, because an early system with a stated successor keeps changing, and a build that works against one version may not survive the next.
Why VAC matters for your Deadlock account
Valve titles share VAC, and a VAC ban carries across the games that use it, which is the part worth planning around. The account you play Deadlock on is not kept separate from your other Valve games. If you also play CS2 or Dota 2 on the same login, treat this as one decision rather than three.
What each layer gives you in Deadlock
Deadlock is the only game covered here where both product types apply at once.
| Layer | What it gives you | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Map awareness | Lane state, objective timing, where the other team is | Nothing beyond the software |
| Hero and ability state | Cooldowns, items, what is about to be used on you | Nothing beyond the software |
| Aim assistance | Help landing shots in a third-person shooter | An input device, bought separately |
The first two rows are the MOBA half and provide most of the value, while the third row is the shooter half.
What is still unconfirmed
We have found no first-party Valve page describing this anti-cheat, so every statement about how it behaves is marked as reporting. That gap needs to close before anyone can build for this game with confidence. Presenting press reports as settled fact is exactly what we set out to avoid.
Common questions about Deadlock
Does Deadlock have anti-cheat?
Yes. ReportedReporting says an early Valve system arrived in a September 2024 update, and that a fuller version has been called a high priority since then.
Does Deadlock use a kernel driver?
ReportedReporting says it does not load a kernel-mode driver. We found no first-party page that confirms this, so treat it as reporting rather than fact.
Will a Deadlock ban affect my other Valve games?
If Deadlock's bans are VAC bans, they carry across the Valve games that use VAC. Either way, treat the account you play Deadlock on as the same account you use for CS2 and Dota 2.
Is Deadlock a DMA game?
Partly. The aim half would need an input device, as in any shooter. The map half needs only software, and that is where most of the value lies.
Sources
UnconfirmedNo first-party Valve page describing Deadlock's anti-cheat was found on 2026-09-12, so the dates and behaviour described here come from press reporting and are marked. The genre argument is our own.
- 01Valve Anti-Cheat (overview)
background on VAC, the system Valve titles share, and how its bans carry across games
en.wikipedia.org
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