Deadlock modder is already selling $20 skins before Valve has made a cent from it

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A creator who modifies games is selling a $20 cosmetic item for Valve’s free-to-play shooter, even though the game hasn’t earned any revenue from players yet.

Valve’s team-based shooter has been available in a limited beta since 2024, and players haven’t had to pay anything to try it out. The game is completely free – there are no shops, subscription services, or ways to spend money within the game. Despite this, someone has already started adding paid features through a modification.

Deadlock modder charges $20 for a skin only you can see

A mod creator known as GigWhat shared a link to their Patreon page, advertising a custom skin called “Mystic North” for the hero Warden. This skin includes six different color options, a glowing cape that moves realistically, updated visual effects for abilities, and unique icons for the game’s interface. GigWhat gave credit to The_Grimmrock, who created the skin’s model and textures, and explained that a recent job loss for The_Grimmrock was a factor in deciding to charge for the mod.

The downside is that since Deadlock doesn’t officially support mods or have public servers, this skin is only visible to the person who purchases it – no one else will be able to see it.

Players reacted negatively to the news, with many expressing confusion and frustration on platforms like X and Reddit. One commenter pointed out that even the game’s developer, Valve, doesn’t profit from the mod in question, and charging players for it felt strange. Others wondered why they would pay for something that others couldn’t even see. Many also predicted the move could be a mistake, fearing the paid mods wouldn’t work once the full game, Deadlock, released, leaving those who purchased them with nothing.

The negative reaction was strong enough that the creators lowered the price to $10. One of them explained that while modding typically requires some effort from developers, this project took six weeks of work outside of their regular hours.

Valve hasn’t said anything about the paid mods available for Deadlock, and it’s currently unknown if they will do anything about them before the game officially releases.

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2026-04-03 20:50