Deadlock vs Overwatch 2: Which team-based shooter should you play?

For fans of team-based shooters, Overwatch 2 and Deadlock offer two distinct experiences under the same umbrella. One is Blizzard’s hero shooter that revolutionised and popularised the genre, and the other is Valve’s brand new IP, a third-person MOBA blended with shooter elements.

Deadlock and Overwatch 2 are worlds apart on first impressions, but the core experience is about jumping into a team, picking a hero that clicks, and working together to secure objectives. So which one of these games is most worthy of your time? 

Let’s break them down into sizeable categories and tie each title with a neat score for each.

Overwatch 2 and Deadlock share many similarities in moment-to-moment gameplay, especially when all the hero abilities come slinging out during a chaotic teamfight. But in Overwatch, you’re always in a state of fighting, and there’s barely any downtime. 

Overwatch pits your whole team against the enemy, centred around one objective with clear requirements on how to win the game. The direct confrontation means that teams of five are always shooting something. Whether that’s the enemy themselves, shields, deployables, etc., and that’s not even mentioning heroes who can fly or flank. 

Gunplay and accuracy are crucial to success, and knowing when to adapt and switch heroes is another required skill to win. The 10-minute average match time is action-packed, peaking with ultimates that can break stalemates and win fights.

Meanwhile, Deadlock’s ultimate goal is to destroy the enemy team’s Patron in their base, but how and when that happens is up to the players. The game is a MOBA and has the linear progression and trappings of the genre. Teams of six players each start paired with a partner in three lanes, until they eventually move out to do what they think is the most efficient use of their time, which could range from farming, pressuring objectives, or ganking.

Having a good sense of macro is the real skill ceiling in Deadlock, which usually boils down to racking up an economy advantage over the enemy team. Furthermore, full team fights rarely happen until late game, as most fights happen around objectives in smaller numbers.

Deadlock score: 8/10

Overwatch 2 score: 9/10

Overwatch 2 not only wins this category by a landslide in comparison, but it’s also the benchmark for fun, varied, and rewarding game modes in live service games. 

On any given night, you can bounce between Quick Play for low-stakes brawls, Competitive if you want to sweat, Arcade mode with rotating playlists, or even sift through Custom for community-made maps. The game also has frequent limited-time game modes that appear during events, holidays, crossovers, etc.

The core playlist alone has variety, and newer additions like Flashpoint keep it fresh. Additionally, Overwatch has found success with its Stadium, introducing MOBA elements to the game through a light economy, along with purchasing upgrades.

Deadlock takes the opposite approach: one flagship mode that’s balanced, refined, and polished often. Much like other MOBAs, the appeal comes from mastering everything from piloting heroes, diversifying item builds, and efficient pathing. 

As a bonus, Deadlock is still in its playtest phase, and the devs are always experimenting and fine-tuning. Deadlock has gone through so many changes in just a year, like removing a whole lane from the game to reworking the shop, to frequent and drastic balance changes. Reliable leaks suggest that an ARAM mode with a roguelite twist is just around the corner.

Overwatch 2 score: 10/10

Deadlock score: 7/10

The characters in Deadlock instantly carved out their own identities within the unique occult Noir setting, which hasn’t been frequently explored in fiction. Valve has overflowing attention to lore this time around, and it pays off as each character has a reason to be there.

The characters are known figures in the world, and many have existing relationships with each other, which are through voicelines and interactions. Deadlock has a leaked visual novel in the works, and Valve is known for releasing media like comics for its games. 

In-game, the characters have varied kits that don’t overlap with each other, which can be further customised through levelling abilities and going for different item builds. They have depth to them that players will discover the more they play.

Blizzard’s cinematic team has always been top-notch in the industry, but they haven’t been able to reach the same heights as the character shorts released nearly a decade ago. Even so, players who love lore will find many avenues to learn more about the world, like with webcomics, full-length novels, music videos, and the best ones, through in-game events.

Regarding gameplay, Overwatch 2 has characters that are a masterclass in fun and design. Heroes like Reinhardt, Lucio, and Doomfist have kits and addicting playstyles whose gamefeel can’t be easily copied in other games. However, the newer characters lack the creative innovation of the early roster in favour of having kits that can do everything.

Overwatch 2 score: 9/10

Deadlock score: 9/10

Valve has shown a strong commitment to Deadlock’s growth during its early access phase, so much so that it’s gained the envy of other Valve projects. Balance patches are frequent, and major updates come around every three to four months. In one major update, Valve dropped six new heroes at once and let the community vote on what order they would release.

This kind of rapid, community-centric content rollout is a promising sign for Deadlock fans. Valve’s approach is very community-centric. For casual players, this means the game can change significantly with every patch since it’s still in playtest.

Blizzard’s support for Overwatch 2 has been a tale of highs and lows. The company faced heavy criticism for many decisions, including cancelling Overwatch 2’s highly anticipated PvE mode and changing the core experience to 5v5 from 6v6. Missteps, aggressive monetisation, and slow balance patches have hurt its reputation 

To be fair, Overwatch 2’s new team is more passionate about the game compared to the transition period between the sequels. Now more than ever, the game receives regular seasonal updates and content updates. They even reversed course on some unpopular decisions to rightfully earn goodwill back from the players.

Deadlock score: 10/10
Overwatch 2 score: 8/10

Overwatch 2 entered esports with the original Overwatch League (OWL), which ran from 2018 until its closure in 2023. This was essentially forced by Blizzard from the start, which contributed to its downfall.

Since then, Blizzard has shifted toward a more grassroots and regional approach, supporting community-driven tournaments and collegiate leagues. The Overwatch 2 esports scene is centred around the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS). Moving away from the expensive franchise leagues, this circuit has accessible open tournaments that ultimately lead to the final tournament.

Meanwhile, Deadlock is still an invite-only game, and Valve hasn’t officially launched an esports initiative for it yet. However, early interest is promising and already showcases a high level of competition. There are even some established organisations, like Virtus Pro, that fielded a team for the tournaments.

For now, the major weekly tournament is Deadlock Night Shift. However, content creators and the community are frequently arranging grassroots tournaments for the game. There was even a LAN tournament that took place in Toronto that was almost cancelled but was saved last minute.

Overwatch 2 score: 8/10

Deadlock score: 7/10

If you’re looking for a team-based shooter for action-packed gameplay, Overwatch 2 barely edges out Deadlock 44 to 42. Overwatch 2 proudly carries that Blizzard polish in all its aspects, making it a fun and varied hero shooter that players can quickly hop on for a good time.

However, for players who want a more complex experience, Deadlock offers the traditional hardcore MOBA experience translated to a third-person shooter gameplay. Even in its playtest phase, Deadlock is already a satisfying experience that can match any competitive game out there.

Overwatch 2 is lucky to have a dedicated team that’s passionate about keeping the game thriving with each new update, while Deadlock is brimming with potential and promise if you can get through the steep learning curve.