The esports scene of Valve’s hybrid MOBA and shooter is rapidly gaining popularity — starting on April 8, the weekly Deadlock Night Shift tournament has a prize pool of $2,500. The era of modest prize money has officially come to an end.
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From $300 to $2,500: how did the prize money grow over the season
Previously, the series’ economy relied entirely on fans. Champions earned a base prize of $300, and on their best days, around $1,000 (and that was if they were lucky with live stream donations). Now, the organizers are pumping in a fixed $2,500 each week—a significant boost. A strong team can now earn more resources in a single evening than they could previously muster in an entire cycle.
The Deadlock ecosystem is swelled by accumulated resources—and this was expected. Major brands have long since realized that Early Access status isn’t a hindrance to the game. Having accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in prize money over past seasons, the series is logically accelerating its pace.
Bo3 format in the EU and NA regions: rules and the strongest teams
Matches are traditionally held on Wednesdays — the events are divided by region, and there is no mercy anywhere. The no mercy format: the challenger first goes through all the stages of the qualifying match, and then goes to the champion of the previous week. The three strongest teams compete in a two-win format. The winner takes the bulk of the prize pool, gets a slot for the next tournament, and awaits new opponents.
NA and EU leaders: who is fighting for a new pot
The competition is fierce. The American line-up (NA) is now dominated by the guys from Melee Creeps. As for the European division (EU), strong teams like Floormen, Leviathan and Lowkey W regularly fly into the top there. It is these tags that will divide the updated bank. For top-level teams, this is a great incentive to keep fit.
Where to watch the broadcasts and how to register for the tournament?
Official YouTube Channel: draft reviews and live broadcasts
Do you want to follow the birth of meta? Go to the official YouTube channel – they are playing draft reviews and giving out live comments. The broadcasts turn out to be driving.
If you have ambitions to enter the semi—professional stage, study the rules. The entire grid, current registration and schedule are available in the official Deadlock Night Shift Discord, as well as on the Liquipedia portal. One thing is obvious: with that kind of money, relaxed skating rinks are no longer expected — every Wednesday will now feel like a grand final.
Esports Match Schedule (EDT / New York Time)
NORTH AMERICA (NA)
EUROPE (EU)
