DEADLOCKHow to install Deadlock mods
Both methods end in the same folder: the Deadlock install, then game/citadel/addons. The manager does the copy and the gameinfo.gi edit. Manual installation also requires adding the search path; copying a VPK alone is not enough.
I followed the manager’s own install article rather than a 2025 YouTube description. The path game/citadel/addons is specific enough that a wrong “Deadlock/mods” folder would simply do nothing.
Manual steps
Download from GameBanana and extract until you can see the .vpk. Open the Deadlock folder, then game/citadel. Create addons if it is missing. Copy the .vpk in. If two mods share a filename, rename them in number order before you launch. Back up game/citadel/gameinfo.gi. In its SearchPaths block, before Write citadel, add the entries Game citadel/addons and Mod citadel, as shown in the linked project guide. Save the file and recheck after game updates. These are documented third-party steps, not a client-tested walkthrough by this site.
Questions
Which file do I need?
The .vpk inside the archive, often named pak01_dir.vpk.
How does load order work?
Rename clashes to pak01_dir.vpk, pak02_dir.vpk and so on. The number is the order.
Do I have to use the manager?
No. It is the easier path because it rewrites gameinfo.gi on every modded launch. Manual installs still need that search path or the game ignores the folder.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-24. Volatile numbers are labelled as estimates when they come from a tracker rather than Valve.