Settings and Performance

Q: What launch options does Deadlock use?

The Deadlock launch options outlets confirm are -dx11 and -vulkan, which choose the graphics API. Other options shared online have no Valve or press source showing they help.

Deadlock has no published system requirements: on Oct 26, 2026 Steam lists them as "TBD" apart from a 64-bit Windows PC. Dexerto's competitive settings are Borderless Window, Direct3D 11, NVIDIA Reflex on, VSync off and most quality options low or off.

Deadlock has no published system requirements: on Oct 26, 2026 its Steam listing gives every minimum and recommended line as "TBD" and asks only for a 64-bit processor and operating system, on Windows alone. Because Deadlock is still an invite-only playtest in early development, Valve keeps changing the engine and the menus, so the best guides are dated ones. Dexerto's, updated Jul 15, 2026, runs Borderless Window at native resolution with Direct3D 11, NVIDIA Reflex on, VSync off and most quality options low or off, and the City Never Sleeps Update of Sep 29, 2026 added a video preview, cloud-saved settings and a cheaper shadow method.

Quick facts

System requirements	"TBD"; 64-bit Windows only (Steam, Oct 26, 2026)
Graphics APIs	Direct3D 11 (`-dx11`) and Vulkan (`-vulkan`)
Upscalers	FSR2, DLSS (NVIDIA 20-series and newer), FSR3 on Vulkan
Latency	NVIDIA Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag 2.0, since Feb 25, 2025
FPS counter	Telemetry HUD under Settings > Game, since Dec 6, 2024
Console key	F7 (enable the dev console in settings first)
Steam Deck	Not rated by Valve; no official support statement
Linux	No native build; runs through Proton

Sources: Steam appdetails, read Oct 26, 2026; Valve's Map Rework Update, Feb 25, 2025; Valve's Dec 6, 2024 update; Dexerto, Jul 15, 2026.

System requirements

Valve has published no minimum or recommended PC for Deadlock. The Steam data read on Oct 26, 2026 lists OS, processor, graphics and sound card as "TBD" under Minimum, gives only "Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system" under Recommended, and marks the game Windows only (no Mac or Linux build). Outlets give rough targets instead: Dexerto's 2024 guide expected about 60 FPS from a low-end PC on low settings at 1080p, 80 to 120 FPS on medium, and 120 to 200 FPS on high with its own Ryzen 7 5700X and RTX 3070. Those figures predate the City Never Sleeps Update, which Valve says brought "Rendering performance improvements" and a Source 2 engine update (Valve's update page, Sep 29, 2026).

Best settings for FPS

Dexerto's competitive settings put frame rate and clarity first. Its Jul 15, 2026 guide uses Borderless Window at native resolution, render quality 100% with Stretch upscaling, no anti-aliasing, shadows, fog, textures and effects on low or off, VSync off, Direct3D 11, NVIDIA Reflex on, G-Sync off and a camera FOV of 90, the slider's maximum. Its 2024 guide adds one rule for weaker PCs: keep render quality at 60% or more, or distant enemies get hard to see.

TheGamer's presets trade render quality for frame rate. Its performance preset (Sep 5, 2024) runs fullscreen with render quality at 55% (50 to 60% is its range), FXAA, medium textures, both ambient occlusion settings off and VSync off; it raises render quality to 70 to 80% for mid-range PCs and 90 to 100% for high-end ones.

Setting	Dexerto (Jul 15, 2026)	TheGamer performance (Sep 5, 2024)
Display mode	Borderless Window	Fullscreen
Render quality	100%	55%
Anti-aliasing	None	FXAA
Textures	Low	Medium
Shadows, effects, AO	Low or off	AO off
VSync	Off	Off
Graphics API	Direct3D 11	Not set
NVIDIA Reflex	On	Not set

Sources: Dexerto, Jul 15, 2026; TheGamer, Sep 5, 2024.

Upscaling arrived on Feb 25, 2025. Valve's Map Rework Update added DLSS "as an FSR2 alternative for temporal anti aliasing and upscaling" on NVIDIA 20-series cards and newer, upgraded Vulkan users from FSR2 to FSR3, and enabled NVIDIA Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag 2.0 "for reduced latency".

For input lag, outlets agree on three things: VSync off, Reflex on and a frame cap (Dexerto, Jul 15, 2026). To see what the game is doing, turn on the Telemetry HUD, which Valve added on Dec 6, 2024 to "monitor the frame rate and network conditions"; it lives under Settings > Game.

Direct3D 11 or Vulkan

Deadlock runs on either Direct3D 11 or Vulkan, chosen in the video settings or with a launch option. Dexerto (Jul 15, 2026) recommends Direct3D 11 because Vulkan "can still throw" stutters on many setups, while Game Rant's 2024 test found Vulkan gave somewhat higher FPS. Vulkan is the only way to get FSR3, so an AMD player who wants that upscaler has a reason to try it (Valve, Feb 25, 2025). If one API stutters on your PC, switch to the other.

Launch options and the console

The launch options press guides confirm are -dx11 and -vulkan, which pick the graphics API (Dexerto, 2024). Set them in Steam: right-click Deadlock, Properties, General, Launch Options. Other options passed around online, such as -novid, -high or -noassert, come from no Valve post or reputable outlet, and nothing shows they help.

The developer console opens with F7 once it is turned on in the settings (Dexerto, Jul 15, 2026). Game Rant (Sep 27, 2024) used it to cap the frame rate with fps_max 60 against lag and crashes on weak PCs, and PCGamesN (updated Jan 26, 2026) lists the citadel_crosshair_ commands for a custom reticle; since Sep 29, 2026 most of that can be done in the Reticle menu, as Controls and Keybinds explains.

Stutter, shaders and crashes

Valve has worked on stutter in three patches. Since Nov 7, 2024 "The shaders, map and various other resources will now pre-compile on the dashboard", which "also reduces in-game hitching in some cases", so let the game sit in the menu for a moment after an update before you queue. Feb 25, 2025 improved preloading "to prevent shader compilation during gameplay", and May 8, 2025 fixed "bad stuttering" when going around corners on ziplines.

For lag and crashes on weaker PCs, Game Rant (Sep 27, 2024) suggested a frame cap, a wired connection and current graphics drivers. Valve made hit registration between high- and low-ping players fairer on May 8, 2025, and City Never Sleeps added "Network prediction improvements" (Valve, Sep 29, 2026).

What City Never Sleeps added to the settings

28:43 The City Never Sleeps update of Sep 29, 2026 rebuilt much of the settings menu (Valve's update page). The changes that matter for performance and setup:

Preview Video Settings: changes show at once while the menu turns briefly transparent.
New drop shadows that fall straight down instead of along the sunlight, which Valve says improves performance.
Cloud-saved settings, kept across PCs, and separate settings for several players on one PC.
Per-hero settings: hold Tab in the Settings menu to see which can differ by hero, with a hero selector in the menu bar.
Shareable codes for reticle and keybind settings, with preview and undo.
Reset buttons on each changed setting, a marker on anything not at its default, and a global reset.
Health and damage options: health numbers in health bars, ally health numbers and cumulative damage.
An inset HUD for 21x9 screens, mouse cursor size, and IME input for Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
Accessibility settings for visuals, audio and controls, listed on Controls and Keybinds.

Steam Deck and Linux

Deadlock is not rated for Steam Deck: Steam's compatibility report gives it no category on Oct 26, 2026. In 2024, standard matchmaking was "currently unsupported on Steam Deck", and Dexerto got past it with the launch option SteamDeck=0 %command%, measuring 25 to 30 FPS at default settings and 45 to 50 FPS with its own (native resolution, -dx11, Stretch upscaling), on about 2 hours of OLED battery. No Valve source says whether that block still applies in Oct 2026.

Valve has improved controller play on the Deck since. Its Nov 7, 2024 update let the Steam Deck see the Key Bindings screen and added a Controller tab and official Steam Input configs, and Valve hardware staff told Dexerto (Nov 8, 2024) that the game is "really early" and that they "expect" good Steam Deck play "at launch". Valve has not announced a release date.

On Linux, Deadlock runs through Proton, with no native build (GamingOnLinux, Jan 23, 2026). If it crashes when it connects to a server, GamingOnLinux (Aug 27, 2024) advises raising vm.max_map_count, for example sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=1048576, the newer default on Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch.

Frequently asked questions

What are Deadlock's system requirements? Deadlock's system requirements are not published: Steam lists them as "TBD" on Oct 26, 2026, asking only for a 64-bit processor and operating system on Windows. Dexerto's 2024 guide expected about 60 FPS at 1080p on low settings from a low-end PC.

What are the best Deadlock settings for FPS? Dexerto's Jul 15, 2026 Deadlock settings are Borderless Window, Direct3D 11, NVIDIA Reflex on, VSync off, no anti-aliasing and shadows, textures and effects low or off. On a weak PC, lower render quality but keep it at 60% or more so distant enemies stay visible.

Should I use DirectX 11 or Vulkan in Deadlock? Dexerto recommends Direct3D 11 for Deadlock because Vulkan can still stutter on many setups, though Game Rant's 2024 test found Vulkan slightly faster. Vulkan is required for AMD's FSR3 upscaler.

What launch options does Deadlock use? The Deadlock launch options outlets confirm are -dx11 and -vulkan, which choose the graphics API. Other options shared online have no Valve or press source showing they help.

How do I fix stutter in Deadlock? Deadlock pre-compiles shaders in the menu since Valve's Nov 7, 2024 update, so wait a moment there after a patch before queueing. If stutter remains, try the other graphics API, update your drivers and cap your frame rate.

Can you play Deadlock on Steam Deck? Deadlock runs on Steam Deck but is not rated for it by Valve, and in 2024 Dexerto needed the launch option SteamDeck=0 %command% to matchmake, getting 45 to 50 FPS with tuned settings. Valve has not said whether that workaround is still needed in Oct 2026.

Does Deadlock run on Linux? Deadlock has no Linux build, but it runs through Steam's Proton. GamingOnLinux advises raising vm.max_map_count if it crashes when joining a server.