Deadlock and many other games rely on anti-cheat software to ensure an even playfield for players. Cheats and similar programs could go rampant without such tools and negatively impact the gameplay experience.

Considering Valve has a few online titles under its belt, the developer is familiar with ensuring everyone is battling fairly. However, many wondered whether the game had functional anti-cheat software, especially during Deadlock's early development stages, since the main focus has been on the gameplay experience.

Is there anti-cheat in Deadlock?

Yes, Deadlock has anti-cheat software, and it was first added to the game with a September 26, 2024 update. In the patch notes, Valve highlighted that this first edition was supposed to be an “early” version of what they have planned for the future. This means Deadlock is likely to receive more security updates that might include more robust anti-cheat solutions.

This initial version of the Deadlock anti-cheat software is a lot of fun since it also includes other players in the decision-making process. Once it detects a cheater during a match, other players in the lobby get a say on what happens to them.

How does Deadlock’s anti-cheat work?

Deadlock’s anti-cheat system allows players to turn cheaters into frogs or ban them immediately. When the system sniffs out a hacker in a match, it lets the other players decide. There are two options: turn the cheater into a frog for the rest of the match, ban them immediately, and end the game.

Even if you choose the frog option, the cheater will still be banned at the end of a match. To ensure fair play, the match doesn't get counted whenever a cheater is present, so you won't need to track your MMR in Deadlock following a game with a frog or an instant ban. Until Deadlock’s beta ends, we expect there to be more changes regarding crucial gameplay elements like the anti-cheat system.

Deadlock’s anti-cheat system is also more innovative than those in Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. With both games’ players currently testing out Deadlock, Steam Community Discussions saw threads asking whether other Valve games could also receive similar anti-cheat solutions.

Though no public data is available on detection rates of Valve’s anti-cheat software in its other titles, Deadlock’s system is more interactive, making it feel like it has a higher hit rate. As it also allows players to have a role in the punishment process, Deadlock’s anti-cheat software has an unmatched “feel good” factor about it that CS2 and Dota 2 lack. Both of these titles send players notifications when a player they report gets banned, but considering the number of reports that fly out every day, it’s almost impossible to keep track of the feedback.