Deathloop multiplayer guide: How does PvP work?

After a few unfortunate delays due to the ongoing pandemic, Deathloop is finally coming out.

Developed by Arkane Studios, known for their immersive sims such as Dishonored and Prey, Deathloop will follow a similar pattern in terms of mysterious stories and intriguing characters but will introduce a slew of innovations as well.

One of these novelties is the game's multiplayer mode, but if you think that your typical deathmatch or battle royale is what awaits you here, then you are in the wrong.

Here's how PvP in Deathloop works.

Is there PvP multiplayer in Deathloop?

In Deathloop, we play as Colt, who's being trapped in a mysterious time loop on the island of Blackreef, designed in a retro-futuristic, 60s-inspired style.

While we will have a number of adversaries, there's one particular assassin who seems to know us better than anyone else. Her name is Julianna, Colt's main rival and the only person you will talk with through the repeating loops.

You are now probably asking: "What this has to do with the multiplayer?" Well, two different players will be able to play both Colt and Julianna simultaneously.

But this is not a co-op experience, rather it's a story campaign PvP mode, where one player plays his single-player story as Colt, and that player can choose to turn on an option for other players to randomly jump into their sessions and start playing as Juliana, who is on your heels on a mission to kill you.

At that very moment, your single-player game becomes a PvPvE, where you are playing both against AI opponents and against a random player controlling Julianna.

As you may imagine, this will significantly rump up the challenge, as playing against a real player in missions designed for them to have an advantage will be a daunting task to deal with. 

It is essentially an invasion-style multiplayer, something we have already seen in other games recently published by Bethesda, although Doom Eternal's Invasion mode was cancelled earlier this year. Each invading player will have only one life, and upon dying, he will be kicked out from the game.

• Read more: Deathloop: Release date, gameplay, story, PvP, system requirements, and more

During one of the streams of this year's QuakeCon, game director Dinga Bakaba, narrative designer Bennett Smith, and campaign designer Dana Nightingale, shed some more light on what we can expect from the multiplayer aspect of the game.

Dinga Bakaba explained that Juliana's gameplay "rewards your knowledge of the map," and added: "Knowing that an NPC is supposed to be patrolling in the street, and they are not patrolling, so probably Colt has eliminated them. Knowing where the weapons are, where the hotspots are, knowing where the nice sightlines are if you're into the sniper mood really pays off. When you're hunting as Juliana, you're really hunting big game."

Developers emphasize that the mode is just for fun and for those gamers who want to experience unique moments during their single-player campaign. 
There will be no competitive aspect, leaderboards, nor will invaders be able to halt players' progress through the story.

• Read more: Starfield: Release date, trailer, features, gameplay details and more

Don't forget to check out our general video games section for industry news, guides, and much more.