Summary
It’s been a long time coming, but Riot Games’League of Legendsfighting game2XKOfinally has a release window and public beta plans. Formerly known asProject L, this title will bring togetherLeague of LegendsChampions in a 2v2 fighter made by the team that made the now-free experimental fighting gameRising Thunder.2XKO’s staff includes several prominent fighting game figures like the Cannon brothers who created GGPO netcode and the EVO tournament series, as well as people like the competitiveMarvel vs. Capcomplayer Clockw0rk, so it couldn’t be in better hands.
The name change fromProject Lto2XKOhad a chilly reception, but many are still happy to see a light at the end of this tunnel. Influencers, pro fighting game andLeagueplayers, and even some lucky tournament goers have already tried the game, and impressions are positive. Sporting a novel team system that allows separate players to control every character, andsupported byRising Thunder’s easy inputs, there won’t be anything quite like2XKOon the market. Unfortunately, that market has never been more full, and theLeague of Legendsfighter has a lot to prove if it wants to stand out.
The Fighting Game Space Is Rapidly Being Filled
Fighting games have gone through a sort of renaissance lately, with a new lineup of titles moving in to replace the old generation. Since the beginning of June 2023, fighting game launches have included:
All of these games are being actively supported, and plenty of older titles are still getting updates alongside them.Guilty Gear Strivejust announced its fourth DLC season,Dragon Ball FighterZis settling into its new rollback netcode, and even the 2013Killer Instinctjust saw significant updates.
Of course, there are lots of other upcoming fighting games too.MultiVersus’ true launch is fast approaching, and its platform fighter peersRivals of Aether 2andFraymakerswill join it later.Fatal Fury: City of the Wolvesis takingThe King of Fighters 15’s place in 2025, and several developer comments and leaks are pointing to Sega completing thecurrent-gen fighting franchise lineup by revivingVirtua Fighter. With evenMarvel vs. Capcom 3’s developer Eighting havingHunter × Hunter: Nen × Impactin the works, the fighting game pool might be full by the time2XKOcomes out.
2XKO Must Prove It Can Stand Out From The Crowd
It’s not in an enviable position, but2XKOwon’t go down without a fight. The pedigree behind2XKOis strong and knows how to appeal to fighting game fans, which seems to be its primary focus. Although its inputs accommodate beginners,2XKO’s combat was built to be the pinnacle of hyper-charged tag-based fighting,merging the best parts of games likeMarvel vs. Capcomwhile piling on original ideas. From choosing an extra Fuse mechanic pre-match to comeback systems enabling one living player to use their downed partner’s abilities,2XKOhas done a great job of finding its niche in the fighting game space.
That’s not even getting into its casual appeal, asLeague of Legendsis ripe for adaptations afterArcanebuilt interest in its world and characters.2XKOis the perfect platform to host scores ofnew Champions fromLoL’s ever-growing roster, and it has already confirmed a strong starting batch:
More Champions are bound to join before2XKO’s launch, and players should have a smooth online experience with them thanks to Riot Games and the Cannon brothers’ combined netcode experience. With four-player fights allowing newcomers to play with, and get carried by, more of their friends than other fighting games,2XKOhas a shot at thriving in one of its genre’s busiest times yet.
