2XKO
A 2v2 tag-team fighting game set in League of Legends' Runeterra.
2XKO is a free-to-play fighting game from Riot Games, taking place in the Runeterra universe of League of Legends. It launched on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on January 20, 2026, after a PC early access period that started on October 7, 2025.
The game is a 2v2 tag-team fighter where players pick two characters from the League of Legends roster. Strategic team play is central, letting players swap between a primary Point character and a secondary Assist using a tag system. Movement relies on standard directional inputs, with dashes, jumps, and air dashes for mobility. Attacks are divided into light, medium, and heavy, with each character possessing unique normal and special moves triggered by specific button combinations. Special moves require directional inputs paired with attack buttons. Supers—powerful moves that consume meter—are executed by pressing light, medium, or heavy alongside a special move button. The tag system uses a handshake tag to swap characters, enabling dynamic combos and strategic depth. Players can call in their Assist for support or switch to them mid-combo.
Defensive options include blocking by holding back, pushblocking to push opponents away and disrupt offense, and parrying to negate damage and create counterattack opportunities. Each character has distinct abilities and playstyles: Ahri excels at mobility and zoning, Darius is a mid-range fighter with heavy attacks, and Ekko uses time manipulation for tricky moves. The Fuse system lets players customize duo synergies and playstyles, adding strategic depth to team composition. Game modes include private matches and a training mode.
At early access launch, the game featured 11 playable champions, with more planned post-launch. Announced characters include Ahri, Darius, Ekko, and others.
Development began in 2019 under the name Project L, later rebranded to 2XKO. Riot Games handled development across studios in Los Angeles, Sydney, and the San Francisco Bay Area (formerly Radiant Entertainment). The game released in January 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with PC early access starting October 7, 2025. Music was a key design element, with composer Jesse Zuretti working from briefs by Mike Pittman and Eugene Kong to make the soundtrack feel appropriate for a fighting game.
A closed beta launched on September 9, 2025, with ten playable characters.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Fighting game
- Developer
- Riot Games
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5
- Windows
- Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- January 20, 2026
- Genre
- 2v2 tag-team fighting game
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
2XKO is a 2v2 tag-team fighting game where players select two characters from the League of Legends universe. The game emphasizes strategic team play, allowing players to switch between their Point and Assist characters using a tag system. Players can move their characters using standard directional inputs, with dashes, jumps, and air dashes enhancing mobility. The control scheme features light, medium, and heavy attacks, with each character having unique normal and special moves. Special moves are performed with a combination of directional inputs and attack buttons, while Supers consume meter and are executed by pressing light, medium, or heavy along with a special move button. The tag system uses a handshake tag to swap characters, enabling dynamic combos and strategic play. Defensive options include blocking, pushblocking to create space, and parrying to negate damage and set up counterattacks. The Fuse system allows players to customize their duo's synergies and playstyles. The game launched in early access with 11 playable champions, with additional characters planned post-launch. Announced characters include Ahri, Darius, Ekko, Warwick, and Caitlyn, among others.
Reader's Guide
2XKO was initially announced in 2019 as Project L and rebranded later. It was developed by Riot Games in studios in Los Angeles, Sydney, and San Francisco Bay Area (formerly Radiant Entertainment). A closed beta launched on September 9, 2025, with ten characters, and transitioned directly into early access on October 7, 2025, on PC. Early access introduced an eleventh character, Warwick, and combo trials. The console launch on January 20, 2026, included cross-platform play and shared progression. Season 1 added Caitlyn, a new Battle Pass, and the Frame Perfect competitive skin line. On February 9, 2026, Riot eliminated approximately 80 roles from the development team, roughly half the global staff, citing player engagement below expectations. On August 20, 2026, Riot announced that active development would end by the end of 2026, with servers remaining online and all characters unlocked, refunding in-game purchases. The competitive scene included the First Impact program sponsoring 22 community tournaments in 2025, with over 1,500 community tournaments by year's end. The 2026 Competitive Series comprised 20 Riot-sanctioned events, with the first Major at Frosty Faustings XVIII on January 29, 2026. The game received generally favorable reviews on PC and PlayStation 5, with 100% critic recommendation on OpenCritic. It was nominated for Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2025 and Fighting Game of the Year at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, losing to Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection respectively. It reached #3 in North American and #10 in European download charts in January 2026.
Elsewhere in League of Legends
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