Valve has released a major matchmaking update for Deadlock on PC, formally separating casual and competitive play by introducing a revamped Ranked Mode alongside the existing Standard Mode.
Quick Facts
- Platforms: PC
- New Matchmaking: Split into Ranked Mode and Standard Mode
- Season End Date: October 7
- Party Size Restrictions: Ranked supports solo or duo parties only
Ranked Mode Structure and Requirements
The new competitive structure spans eleven distinct tiers: Initiate, Seeker, Acolyte, Sentinel, Mystic, Ritualist, Emissary, Oracle, Phantom, Ascendant, and Eternus. Every tier is divided into six subranks. New players entering the season undergo an eight-game calibration phase, applying a soft reset to prior ranks to seed participants appropriately.
To access the competitive queue, players must meet strict prerequisites. Accounts require at least 60 wins in Standard Mode, a minimum of three unlocked eligible heroes, and at least 15 wins with any hero chosen for the match. Furthermore, Ranked matchmaking currently restricts party sizes to solo or duo queues. Duo partners must sit within one rank of each other, while Eternus players can only queue together if they are within three subranks.
Rank Points adjust by approximately 250 points per match. Advancing a subrank requires 1,000 points, while pushing into an entirely new rank demands 2,000 points. The competitive season runs until October 7, preserving the highest rank achieved by a player permanently on their profile once the season concludes.
Standard Mode Updates and Hero Changes
Standard Mode remains available as a lower-stakes alternative for playing with friends, maintaining no party size limits, skill spread restrictions, or impact on Rank. Alongside the matchmaking overhaul, Valve updated the pre-game phase to let players swap into a different unlocked hero before a match starts, while also increasing the number of banned heroes per game from two to three.