The Premier Stage for Collegiate Deadlock
College Deadlock is the home of the Deadlock Collegiate Series, the competitive league for North American colleges and universities playing Valve’s Deadlock.
What Is the Deadlock Collegiate Series?
The Deadlock Collegiate Series (DCS) is the flagship competitive league for collegiate teams playing Deadlock, Valve’s hero shooter and MOBA hybrid. Every season, college and university rosters from across North America compete in a group-stage round robin, followed by a playoff bracket. See the Main Season standings for the most recent results.
Matches are scheduled weekly and broadcast live on our Watch page with a two-minute delay. Every game is covered by casters and a production crew, and every match VOD is archived to YouTube. The full match schedule is published every week of the season.
Season 3 registration opens August 1st. The season runs September 21st through November 13th with a $125 per team entry fee. A published rulebook, clear eligibility rules, and an admin team that treats competitive integrity as non-negotiable.
Recent Matches
Season 3 match schedule will be posted after registration closes.
How the Series Works
Registration
Teams register August 1st – September 7th with a captain, a full roster, and a three-letter team tag. Entry fee is $125 per team. Institutions can field up to two rostered teams.
Regular Season
Teams are seeded into groups and play a weekly round robin starting September 21st. Each week is a best-of-3 series. Roster lock is September 28th.
Playoffs
Top teams from each group advance to a playoff bracket to crown the Season 3 champion. Season wraps November 13th.
Full details in the Season 3 rulebook.
Latest Dispatches
What Is Deadlock? A Complete Guide to Valve's Hero Shooter MOBA
Everything a new player or fan needs to know about Deadlock, Valve's third-person hero shooter and MOBA hybrid. Objective, heroes, items, souls, map, and how to follow it competitively.
Deadlock Esports in 2026: The Collegiate Scene Leading the Charge
How Deadlock esports grew from a closed Valve beta into a real competitive scene, and why collegiate play is where most of it is actually happening.
College Deadlock Season 0 Begins
Sixteen teams. A $5,000 prize pool. Seven weeks of best-of-three Deadlock, starting now.
Answers for Players and Fans
What is the Deadlock Collegiate Series?+
DCS is a competitive league for North American college and university teams playing Valve’s Deadlock. Teams compete in a group-stage round robin with a double-elimination playoff bracket to close each season. See the Main Season page for the most recent results.
Who can play in College Deadlock?+
Any full-time enrolled college or university student in North America is eligible. Teams need a captain, a roster of eligible players, and to meet the academic and conduct requirements in the rulebook. Season 3 registration opens August 1st.
How do I watch DCS matches?+
Every DCS broadcast runs live on our Watch page with an embedded Twitch player and chat. VODs are uploaded to YouTube the day after each match. Check the full schedule for this week’s broadcasts.
Is there a cost to enter?+
Season 3 carries a $125 per team entry fee to support continued operations, production, and competitive infrastructure. See the Season 3 page for full details.
More on the FAQ page.
A League Built for the Players
College Deadlock was founded by competitors and organizers that have been active in the competitive Deadlock scene since it began. We built this league because collegiate esports deserves production, competitive integrity, and player experience at the level any serious sport takes for granted. Every season we push that standard further.
Our StoryReady to Compete?
Sep 21 – Nov 13 · Group Stage + Playoffs · $125 / team
Registration opens August 1st. Roster lock September 28th.