Deadlock system requirements, Steam Deck and Linux

Valve hasn’t published Deadlock specs yet. Here’s what’s official, what players report on Steam Deck and Linux, and the settings that help.

Deadlock system requirements

There aren’t any yet. The Steam store page lists every minimum spec (OS, processor, graphics, sound) as TBD, and the only firm requirement is a 64-bit processor and operating system.

Nobody forgot to fill them in. Deadlock is still an early development build, and access is limited to friend invites from existing playtesters. Real specs should come closer to a public release; until then, any page listing exact minimum CPU and GPU models is guessing.

What’s official right now

Windows is the only platform Steam lists. There’s no official macOS or Linux version, and Valve hasn’t rated it for Steam Deck.

The game runs on Source 2, the same engine as Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2, and can use DirectX 11 or Vulkan. Players switch between them with the -dx11 and -vulkan launch options, which matters most on Linux and Steam Deck.

1. 01Set launch options in Steam: right-click Deadlock, Properties, then the Launch Options box.
2. 02Use a 64-bit version of Windows. It’s the one requirement Valve has confirmed.

Will my PC run Deadlock?

Without official numbers, test it. Once you have access, download it, play a bot match, and turn on the Telemetry HUD under Settings > Video > HUD Telemetry to see your frame rate and frame time.

Late-game teamfights are far heavier than the hideout or an early lane: two full teams, troopers, summons and a dozen ability effects on screen at once. Judge your PC by the worst moment of a long match, not by your FPS in the main menu.

1. 01Watch frame time, not just FPS. A high average with big spikes still feels bad in a fight.
2. 02If you’re close to playable, lower render resolution or turn on upscaling before you drop every other setting to low.

Can you play Deadlock on Steam Deck?

Players do, but Valve hasn’t tested or rated it. Steam shows Deadlock’s Deck compatibility as Unknown, which means nobody has reviewed it, not that it fails.

ProtonDB reports describe 30 to 60 FPS on low settings at the Deck’s native resolution, with dips in big fights and around the Patron. Most call it playable but a step down from a PC, with text and the shop hard to read on the small screen.

Early in the playtest, matchmaking was blocked on Steam Deck. More recent reports say you can queue without any workaround, so if an old guide tells you to change launch options to get into matches, try without first.

Best Steam Deck settings for Deadlock

These come from player reports, not Valve, so treat them as a starting point.

1. 01Start on the low preset at native resolution, and only raise settings once you’ve played a full match.
2. 02If the game crashes on launch, add -dx11 to the launch options. Several Deck players report Vulkan crashing after updates while DirectX 11 kept working.
3. 03Use a keyboard and mouse through a dock if you can. Deadlock is built around them, and players say the default controller layout misses some inputs.
4. 04On the controller, build your own layout. Make sure you can aim while casting and reach every ability and item without opening a menu.
5. 05Expect heavy battery drain. Play plugged in for anything longer than a couple of matches.

Does Deadlock run on Linux?

Yes, through Proton, Steam’s compatibility layer. There’s no official Linux version, but ProtonDB rates Deadlock Gold from more than 700 player reports, and plenty of players say it works out of the box.

A native Linux build turns up in the game files and some players have tried it, but Valve doesn’t list it as supported and reports are mixed. Most people run the Windows version through Proton.

1. 01Force Proton: in Steam, Properties > Compatibility, tick the box to force a compatibility tool and pick a current Proton version.
2. 02Try both renderers. Some players get more FPS with -dx11, others with -vulkan, and it changes between updates and GPU vendors.
3. 03If fullscreen breaks on a multi-monitor setup, players report that running the game through gamescope fixes it.
4. 04Random FPS drops after 10 to 30 minutes on Vulkan? Try turning off upscaling. At least one player traced theirs to FSR.

Linux crashes and leaving matches

On Linux, stability is a bigger problem than frame rate. Forum threads describe freezes and crashes partway through matches, which leave your team playing five-versus-six until you reconnect, and players report picking up leaver penalties after crashes.

Before you queue ranked on a new setup, play a few full unranked matches to make sure it holds up for 30 minutes or more. When an update breaks things, switch renderers first; it’s the fix players report most often.

After an update

Any of this can change with one patch. Valve updates the engine regularly, and City Never Sleeps alone shipped a newer version of Source 2 along with rendering performance improvements. If something stops working after a patch, read the last few days of Linux and Steam Deck reports before you start changing your setup.