It feels like forever ago that Riot first teased it back in 2019 under the name Project L, but six years later, and with a new codename — 2XKO — the League of Legends fighting game is finally ready to step into the ring. According to 2XKO producer Tom Cannon, the idea of a LoL-based fighter seemed like a no-brainer, something that would have fans “jumping out of their chairs” with excitement. But the initial reveal didn’t quite land that way. Instead of instant hype, the reaction was more muted, which led the team back to the drawing board to figure out how to make 2XKO stand out and leave a real impact.
“It had potential, but we just didn’t feel like it was living up to the combat fantasy of League of Legends, where you have the synergy between multiple champions and the talk about compositions where you have to coordinate,” Cannon told Edge Magazine. “We felt like if we could bring that kind of interaction and that kind of strategy to a fighting game, then we could bring something new to the genre. It was a hard decision to kill that version of the game because it was fun. And it was awkward because we announced this thing, and then we took it back into the shop and went back into R&D mode. But I think it was the right call.”
2XKO is a free-to-play, 2v2 tag-team fighting game set to launch sometime in 2025 for the PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S—and with the game currently in its Closed Beta phase, that release feels closer than ever. While the final roster hasn’t been locked in (understandable, given there are over 140 champions in League of Legends), several familiar faces have already made an appearance in the beta. Confirmed fighters so far include Blitzcrank, Ahri, Darius, Braum, Ekko, Vi, Yasuo, Jinx, and Illaoi. At launch, 2XKO is expected to feature a starting roster of ten playable characters, with more champions being added over time.
Do you think 2XKO, Riot’s League of Legends fighting game is shaping up to be a bold and refreshing entry in the genre?
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