What genre of game is Deadlock?

Connor Knudsen

Connor Knudsen

Here’s how we would describe Deadlock’s genre.

Deadlock has been a game for many that, in a fairly short amount of time, has captured a large amount of interest and hype. This is likely, in part, due to the way this game blends the best of so many iconic game genres and puts them into one. So, what genre of game is Deadlock?

Deadlock's character select screen looks like something you would see in a game like Overwatch 2 (Image via esports.gg)
Deadlock's character select screen looks like something you would see in a game like Overwatch 2 (Image via esports.gg)

Deadlock genre explained

Deadlock is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) at heart, but also with strong elements of the recently very popular arcade/hero shooter, but also with a third-person camera. So, calling the genre of Deadlock a third-person arcade shooter MOBA might be the closest thing we can assimilate to its genre.

Here are the elements of each that you can find in this game:

Aspects of Deadlock that make it a MOBA game:

  • The main objective is pushing lanes on the map towards a central objective in the enemy base. The map is a mirror image of itself, meaning both teams have the same objective and path to victory in a given game.
  • You fight alongside minions/creeps that aid you in taking down larger PvE objectives along the way. These PvE objectives provide buffs in some instances and are key to winning.

Aspects of Deadlock that make it an arcade shooter game:

  • The way in which you control your character is very similar to a game like Overwatch 2 or Team Fortress 2, where your character and their abilities play a huge role in team fights.
  • The third-person POV in Deadlock puts your character in focus, while a top-down POV in a game like Dota 2 or League of Legends can allow for more map vision and a more macro game focus.

Overall, much of why many people connect with Deadlock is likely because it feels like they've played the game before due to its genre familiarity. So, even if it's hard to pin down exactly what Deadlock is, fans are taking to the genre-blend in a positive way.

Stay tuned for more Deadlock news and updates at esports.gg.