Have you ever imagined a 2D fighting game starring your favorite League of Legends champions? Your wait is almost over! Formerly known as Project L, the game officially became 2XKO in early 2024, set to feature iconic characters like Yasuo, Darius, and Braum.
Beyond the name change, 2XKO has evolved into a thrilling 2v2 tag-team fighter, incorporating mechanics that will feel instantly familiar to fans of classic fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom. If you’re eager for more details on this League of Legends-inspired brawler, here’s a comprehensive look at everything we know about the 2XKO release date and beyond.
[Video: 2XKO Release Date and Gameplay Overview]
2XKO Release Date Estimation
The official 2XKO release date, initially estimated for 2025, appears to have been shifted for the full launch following the early access announcement. Considering the planned seasonal content, there’s a strong indication that the full version of 2XKO will officially launch towards the end of 2026. The game is slated for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Dive into 2XKO Early Access
The 2XKO early access period commenced on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. While the complete game is confirmed for PS5 and Xbox, Riot has not yet specified a timeline for console players to join the 2v2 fighting game action.
A significant change from previous playtests is that all progress made during early access will seamlessly carry over to the full release. The early access build will introduce cosmetics through a new battle pass system, alongside combo trials for each champion to help players master their skills. Furthermore, Riot has confirmed a schedule of five annual seasons, with a new champion introduced in each season.
[Video: 2XKO Early Access Details]
2XKO Trailers and Previews
Riot has released a “how to play” video for 2XKO, offering players a concise overview of its core mechanics, including attack systems, defensive maneuvers, and the unique Fuse ability.
The initial lineup of characters – Ahri, Yasuo, Darius, and Ekko – was first unveiled at EVO 2023. During this 13-minute gameplay showcase, observant fans noted that each fighter was individually controlled, confirming support for up to four unique players.
In February 2024, a one-minute clip officially rebranded Project L as 2XKO, featuring new glimpses of gameplay.
[Video: 2XKO Official Reveal Trailer]
Exploring 2XKO Gameplay
2XKO has undergone several significant transformations, most notably transitioning to a 2v2 tag-team fighting style. The game made its public debut at Evo 2024, the premier fighting game tournament, and later became accessible through the Alpha Lab playtest system.
Many core mechanics of 2XKO will resonate with seasoned 2D fighting game enthusiasts. Each champion boasts a unique set of attack abilities, contextualized by their ground or airborne position and directional aim. While the game emphasizes offensive combat, players will also have a diverse toolkit of defensive options, including counterattacks and blocking. The “Introducing Duo Play” developer diary further cemented 2XKO’s identity as a team-based 2v2 fighting experience.
As outlined in early gameplay teasers, Riot aims for an “easy to learn, difficult to master” design philosophy. This suggests a smooth onboarding experience, allowing players to dive in without extensive combo memorization. Concurrently, the developers are committed to ensuring 2XKO offers a robust competitive scene with a high skill ceiling for dedicated players.
[Video: 2XKO Gameplay Deep Dive]
The Dynamic 2XKO Assist and Tag System
In a ‘Basics & Tag’ developer diary, 2XKO was revealed as an “assist-based fighter,” where players choose two champions: a ‘Point’ champion for primary combat and an ‘Assist’ character to support during battle.
Riot Games has outlined three distinct tag actions:
- Assist Actions: These are the core of the tag system, allowing you to summon your Assist character to the fight even when they are off-screen. Holding the button for this skill unleashes a more potent Charged Assist Action.
- The Handshake Tag: This action allows you to seamlessly swap roles between your Point and Assist champions, provided both are currently on screen.
- The Dynamic Save: A crucial defensive tool, this calls your Assist to interrupt an opponent’s combo, potentially saving your Point champion… Unless your Dynamic Save is countered!
The flexibility of the Handshake Tag suggests that all 2XKO champions will be capable of performing both Point and Assist roles, though some may naturally excel in specific combat situations.
2XKO’s Robust Netcode
For a competitive title like 2XKO, a reliable netcode is paramount to the player experience. Riot is committed to delivering a highly responsive system, aiming for an online experience as seamless as playing offline. This is achieved through advanced rollback netcode, further optimized by Riot Direct, their proprietary internal network. Crucially, 2XKO will utilize dedicated servers, avoiding the inconsistencies and potential lag associated with peer-to-peer connections.
Latest 2XKO News and Updates
Riot Games officially unveiled its League of Legends fighting game in 2019, though it came as little surprise; three years prior, Riot acquired Radiant Entertainment, a studio renowned for its fighting game expertise. Radiant Entertainment had previously developed the brawler Rising Thunder, which saw its full release canceled after Riot’s acquisition while still in its alpha phase.
Early glimpses of 2XKO (then Project L) were first shared in 2021. Despite significant development, game director Tom Cannon stated the game would “not be shipping in 2021 or 2022.” A development update from August 2022 indicated the team was finalizing core mechanics and shifting focus to building out champions, social features, and competitive gameplay elements.
Riot has confirmed that 2XKO will be a free-to-play title. Cannon emphasized that this decision aims to make the game accessible to all players, regardless of budget. It’s expected that 2XKO will incorporate microtransactions for cosmetics and new champions, similar to Riot’s model with League of Legends. The Alpha Lab breakdown provided an initial look at the game’s battle pass system, showcasing various new skins.
[Video: 2XKO Alpha Lab Overview]
At Evo 2024, Cannon confirmed that DLC characters will be unlockable without any real-money payment. It’s anticipated that the character unlock system will resemble those in Valorant or League of Legends, allowing dedicated players to acquire new champions with relative ease.
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Riot’s social media pages updated their avatars with distinct graffitied blue and black designs, hinting at Jinx’s upcoming introduction. While Jinx was always expected to be part of the initial roster, she hadn’t appeared in any playable demos until then. A short gameplay clip was posted by a 2XKO fan account, promising further Jinx gameplay on November 11.
Vi was officially revealed as the next champion to join the 2XKO roster on July 22, 2025. She debuted as a playable character at Evo 2025 and is set to be available in the 2XKO beta in September. Following this, Blitzcrank was unveiled on September 2, 2025, as the game’s first grappler champion, also slated for the September closed beta.
On September 23, Riot announced the early access launch of 2XKO for October 7, 2025. Just nine days later, Teemo was revealed as the 10th champion to be added, playable from the moment the early access build drops.
With all this information about the 2XKO release date and details, you’re fully up to speed! To make the wait a little more manageable, why not explore some of the best multiplayer games available? Or, for an alternative gaming experience, check out our recommendations for the best PC games of all time.
This article was originally penned by Marloes Valentina Stella.