Valve’s upcoming multiplayer shooter Deadlock is still in development, but despite not being fully released, it has already encountered issues with cheaters. A recent online clip surfaced, showing players using aimbots during the playtest phase.
This early emergence of cheating has surprised many, given that the game hasn’t been widely accessible yet. However, it also highlights a common issue that competitive multiplayer games face.
Interestingly, Deadlock had been growing in popularity behind the scenes, even before Valve officially acknowledged its existence. Access to the playtest is currently restricted, with entry possible only through invites from existing playtesters. This limited access might have been expected to reduce cheating, but the appearance of aimbots suggests that even a closed environment isn’t immune to exploitation by hackers.
The developers have acknowledged the issue and are already working on a solution. According to a developer named ‘Yoshi’ on Discord, Valve is currently developing anti-cheat measures to combat these problems. While specific details about what type of anti-cheat software will be implemented haven’t been shared, it’s clear that Valve is aware of the issue and is trying to stay ahead of potential cheaters.
Despite this, cheating has already breached the game’s playtest phase, meaning Valve will need to quickly strengthen their defenses. The fact that cheaters have found a way in so early shows that it’s going to be an ongoing battle to keep the game fair. Nevertheless, Deadlock is still far from its full release, and it’s understandable that the developers are juggling multiple tasks, including anti-cheat systems.
Looking ahead, there’s optimism that Deadlock will have better security measures in place before its official launch. As the game continues its development, Valve will likely continue to improve its anti-cheat efforts, among other things, to ensure a smoother, more secure gaming experience when it finally becomes available to the wider public.
