Two new games have caught the attention of esports fans this past year: Spectre Divide and Deadlock. It can be tough for a new game to actually break into the esports scene and make an impact with existing heavy hitters like League of Legends, Dota 2, and CS2 still going strong. But will these two games finally do the impossible?
What is Spectre Divide?
Spectre Divide is the first game on our radar. It’s a 3v3 tactical shooter that resembles VALORANT and Counter-Strike in terms of style, mechanical focus, and gameplay elements. This makes a lot of sense since the game was backed by Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, a former Counter-Strike pro turned top FPS streamer who had a lot of influence on the game’s production.
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But Spectre Divide offers something unique to the genre: The ability to switch between two bodies, leaving one spectre hidden while you move to the other for better positioning or because you are warned enemies are approaching the area near them.
Reviews for Spectre Divide are mixed. Some feel the gameplay is very confusing and maybe a bit too complex. Others say it’s simply too slow. But developers at Mountaintop Studios have been listening very closely to player feedback since the game launched, so it’s still quite early to know how the game will shape up.
Spectre Divide ranks show promise
Spectre Divide focuses on competitive play. It launched with Ranked mode almost right away, which is unusual for most free-to-play shooters. Spectre Divide ranks include progress for both solo competitors and teams, which are separate. With such a big part of the game dedicated to higher-level players, it would not be surprising to see the game enter the esports scene very soon.
Our prediction
We don’t see Spectre Divide going the distance. shroud and other competitive FPS streamers will definitely push for the game to grow amongst more serious players and their fans will want to watch pros and content creators show off their skills. But will the game become a full-fledged esport?
We see it having some independent tournaments hosted by various TOs and getting a lot of streamed events, especially in the next few years. But with a smaller studio behind it and mixed reviews, we don’t see it being able to get its footing amongst established games in the scene like VALORANT, Call of Duty, and Counter-Strike 2.
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What is Deadlock?
Deadlock is Valve’s horribly kept secret. The game was leaked long before it was officially announced and had thousands of players on Steam before Valve admitted it existed. With so much testing behind it, fans had high hopes.
Deadlock is a unique addition to the competitive scene. It blends elements of MOBAs—like minions, base bosses called Patrons, and lanes—with hero shooters, giving each hero ranged, aim-based weapons and abilities. Players have been marvelling at the unique concept and interesting roster.
Deadlock Early Access keeps players invested
The reviews for Deadlock have been mixed, however. Many players love the refreshing gameplay concept, but the learning curve is steep, and the roster is unbalanced. However, the game is not yet complete and is still in Early Access. The game gets a lot of massive updates that take player feedback into account. With Valve behind it, players are expecting it to become an esport.
Our prediction
Since Valve is heavily involved with the esports scenes for Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 — two games that have dominated esports for years — we see it being very likely that Deadlock will be given the same treatment. Expect an official tournament structure to be put in place, inspiring content creators and pros to jump in early and try to win some cash in a new scene.
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However, depending on the tournament structure, it will be tough to get esports organizations to sign Deadlock teams. It’s a big gamble for organisations to take if there’s no financial support from Valve, but some organisations could also see it as a fun game to stand out in from the start.
Deadlock will definitely have an esports scene, and there will be some promising tournaments, but we don’t see it growing as big as the classics like League of Legends and CS2.
Final verdict on Spectre Divide and Deadlock
The esports scene prides itself on innovation and progress. It’s a newer industry that is always shaking up the status quo and trying out new things to see what helps it grow beyond the existing fans. Some things work, and some don’t, but esports professionals are used to the chaos and even thrive in this environment where everything changes.
But while the scene loves to try new things, not everything sticks. The same dominant esports have taken over the scene in the past few years. League of Legends, Dota 2, CS2, and some fighting games have continued to have a cycle of more viewership, resulting in larger prize pools and higher stakes. The top teams and massive prizes draw in more viewers, and the cycle continues.
It will be hard for Spectre Divide and Deadlock to reach that level of popularity, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be esports scenes. Even if you haven’t really been following them, other esports continue to thrive with their specific fanbases. Think of Fortnite’s FNCS 2025 announcing a massive $8 million prize pool or Mobile Legends: Bang Bang getting peak viewership of well over 5 million during its events.
Expect to see Spectre Divide and Deadlock, especially Deadlock, get a massive push in the esports direction. Expect some big teams and popular names to get involved in an attempt to grow the scene and test out a new competitive game with less established competition.
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