It took a while, but the end is finally in sight for2XKO. Formerly known asProject L, this title from Radiant Entertainment and Riot Games is the fighting game adaptation ofLeague of Legendsthat was promised during its ten-year anniversary in 2019. As Radiant Entertainment is staffed by veterans of the fighting game community, particularly the Cannon brothers behind GGPO rollback netcode and the EVO tournament series, expectations for2XKOhave stayed high for much of the ensuing time, and those who have experienced the game from its beta tests and demo kiosks can explain why.
2XKOis a two-versus-two tag fighter that doesn’t just support teams of two characters, but two players as well. It’s the first fighting game to boast such a feature alongside normal gameplay, to the point where online play and planned tournaments will accommodate teams of two alongside single players. This isenhanced further by2XKO’s selectable Fuses, which change the dynamics of its two-character teams.2XKOhas a lot going for it, but a pile of flaws has been building in the background, and the game’s attempt to address the biggest one risks raising another to its place.
2XKO Is Closer To Launch Than Anyone Realized
A Closed Beta Test Is The Staging Grounds For 2XKO’s Official Release
On Jun 14, 2025, Riot confirmed that Vi, the gauntlet-wearing bruiser andco-protagonist of the famedLoLshowArcane, is joining2XKO’s launch roster. Not only that, she’ll also be playable at the game’s latest demo on the EVO 2025 show floor in early August, and will be part of2XKO’s potentially-last closed beta. Announced for a September 9th launch, this PC-exclusive beta test is planned to stay up indefinitely so that Radiant Entertainment can stress-test its complete online backend. It’s a move almost unheard of in fighting games, though there’s a good reason for it.
2XKOhas been known about publicly for six years, and entered pre-production almost a decade ago when Riot Games bought Radiant Entertainment in 2016. Everyone, even the development staff at Radiant and producers at Riot,want2XKOto finally come out, so even if it’s in a reduced state, this indefinite closed beta test technically counts as a soft launch. As updates hit the game, more players should be let in, similarly to how Valve handled its new MOBADeadlock.2XKOwill finally be in the public’s hands, but addressing the game’s oldest complaint means that a new concern has been left to grow just as large.
Wishes For 2XKO To Launch Will Be Granted, But There’s A Catch
The aforementioned flaws that2XKOhas been building up include some system quibbles, but the chief concern is its content. When Radiant and Riot announced that2XKOwould launch with ten characters, almost everyone looking forward to the game was disappointed at best. Upon hearing about aLeague of Legendsfighting game, especially a tag fighter, many leaped todrafting huge lists ofLeaguecharactersthey wanted in it. Ten starting characters fall short of lowballed roster predictions, and that’s not even getting into howMarvel Tokon: Fighting Soulsis now threatening to completely dominate the tag fighter space.
2XKO’s Roster Will Hurt Its Launch
Within that context,2XKO’s upcoming beta launch feels like rubbing salt in its wound. For what could be considered the game’s launch,2XKOwill have eight of its ten promised characters, and there’s no telling what state the progression, cosmetics, and arcade mode will be in. For all the polish present, it’s probably going to be the game’snovelty as a free fighting gamethat draws in players early on. Radiant Entertainment and Riot Games are hopeful that its roster will grow quickly after the initial launch, but2XKOwill need to survive in increasingly hostile conditions for live-service games and smaller tag fighters if it wants to reach stable ground.
