Can you play Deadlock Ranked as a party with friends?

Deadlock’s ranked mode tests players’ skills and has many wondering if they play as a group before taking on the challenge. Playing Deadlock with friends is much more fun, and doing so in ranked mode could increase your chances of winning as you would get better synergies.

Deadlock’s developer, Valve, has other multiplayer titles like Dota 2 And Counter Strike 2where players can easily enjoy the ranked experience with their friends. With this being the case, players had similar expectations for Deadlock, but the first iterations of the ranked system held a surprise.

Does Deadlock’s ranked mode have a party mode to play with friends?

No, you cannot play Deadlock as a group with friends at the time of writing. Deadlock’s ranked mode only has a solo mode in the early stages, as the developers want to experiment with certain mechanics before expanding the system.

Deadlock’s ranking system was first added to the game with an October 10, 2024 patch, and the developers stated that it would be an experimental version Forum post on PlayDeadlock.com. The main reason Deadlock’s original ranked mode didn’t have a party mode is the new power calculation system, which works on a weekly basis. There was another unique situation in this rollout where Deadlock’s ranked mode would only be available during certain times and schedules.

The rank and medal calculation system in Deadlock compares all data from players who played at least seven games in the previous week. This is a very different approach considering other Valve games opt for instant changes in MMR after games. With this approach, Valve aims to be more precise in determining player ranks, and further testing will show whether the weekly method will hold up.

Will Deadlock’s ranked mode get a party option?

We expect Deadlock’s ranked mode to support group play with friends in future updates. Currently, the developers are more focused on getting the underlying formulas to their perfect state.

Once Deadlock’s ranking system is optimized to a satisfactory level, Valve could implement a separate party queue for the game, like in Dota 2. This way, players who want to play Deadlock exclusively alone would have to enable an option for pre-made groups consisting of friends could play against each other.

Given Valve’s track record, Deadlock’s ranking system could see more changes months and years into its life cycle. Developers are always looking for ways to improve the gaming experience, and advancing the competitive aspect of games has been one of the best ways to achieve this.