Bilawal Bashir 
Is Deadlock a MOBA, or is it more of a third-person hero shooter? The simple answer is it’s both.
Deadlock is finally out of the box after being the subject of numerous rumors and leaks. While it’s still not openly available on Steam, the game can be accessed by virtually anyone. All one needs is an invite from someone already playing Deadlock, and that’s it. Despite being under wraps, the game has posted some impressive player numbers in the past couple of weeks.
The hero shooter genre is saturated. With old juggernauts like Overwatch and even Team Fortress 2 still taking a share of the pie, it’s hard for any new hero shooter to survive. That’s precisely why companies are trying out new things with hero shooters. While Fragpunk added a card system that changes how a match plays, Deadlock is embracing its MOBA inspirations.
Is Deadlock a MOBA?
Deadlock is a MOBA with a third-person camera like Smite and Smite 2.
Deadlock is more of a MOBA than a shooter, which is evident in how a typical match plays out. There are clear similarities between Deadlock and Dota 2, a popular free-to-play MOBA made by Valve.
There are distinct lanes in Deadlock’s map with “jungle” areas between them, complete with creeps and last-hit mechanics. Each lane has turrets that lead to an “ancient” that teams need to destroy. Players earn money by taking down the creeps and enemy heroes. Then, they use the money to gain items from a shop that further enhance their characters.
Deadlock also has an experience system that levels up a hero as the match progresses. Another significant similarity is the respawn timers after dying that grow longer as a match progresses.
All of this is staple MOBA gameplay. While it’s a shooter with heroes, the gameplay is definitively more akin to League of Legends than Overwatch.
Is Valve’s new game a shooter?
While shooting elements and a third-person camera exist, Deadlock plays more like a MOBA than a shooter.
At a high level, Deadlock still requires good aim to take enemies down and to kill creeps effectively. The third-person camera mode adds a layer of verticality to the game, which is generally missing from MOBAs like League of Legends and Dota 2. The perspective change adds to the strategy to maintain a steep learning curve.
Valve’s latest hero shooter is a good mix of MOBA and third-person shooting. Players cannot run and gun here like a standard FPS or third-person shooter. Each of the characters are defined by their roles and generally thrive in a lane designed for them.
A player coming from Dota 2 will need some practice to sense off-screen threats. Players coming from Team Fortress 2 will require some build guides to use a character to the fullest. There’s middle ground for both players to enjoy, though.
