2XKO Project L: Everything You Need to Know

Written by: William

16/04/2024

Riot’s 2D fighting game, set in the world of League of Legends and now officially titled "2XKO," is deeply rooted in the domain of Runeterra. The game features a roster of characters from League of Legends, such as Jinx and Ahri. On February 22, the developers announced its official name as promised: 2XKO.

It is set to launch in 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. Along with the release of new videos, social media channels were launched to kick off the hype and share more information.

Formation of 2XKO

Beyond Riot Games, several notable figures are instrumental in the development of 2XKO. Kyohei "MarlinPie" Lehr serves as a game designer for the project. Tom and Tony Cannon, who have a longstanding history in the fighting game community, are also involved; Tom is the founder of Evo, the world's largest fighting game tournament.

Shaun, along with American FGC lead who competed in Tekken in the early 2000s alongside ChetChetty and the UK’s Ryan Hart, is part of the team. Ryan Hart, who has been with Riot Games for over a decade, now serves as the Associate Game Director and Gameplay Design Lead on Project L.

Fighting Game 2XKO

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2XKO is a 2D tag fighter featuring 2v2 combat where each player controls a pair of League of Legends characters. The game includes light, medium, and heavy attack buttons and employs special move inputs with simple directional commands rather than traditional fighting game inputs.

For example, instead of performing a quarter-circle motion for a fireball as in Street Fighter, you would use a forward + attack input. This control scheme is similar to that of the Smash Brothers series or Street Fighter 6's modern controls. Both characters on a team must be knocked out to win, hence the name 2XKO.

Characters in 2XKO

Promotional material for 2XKO has featured the following characters:

Yasuo
Darius
Ahri
Ekko
Jinx
Illaoi
Katarina

Each character comes with a collection of chromas, allowing players to customize their color schemes. However, only Ahri, Darius, Ekko, and Yasuo have been publicized as playable in showpieces of Worlds 2023.

Challenges with 2XKO Esports

The challenges include not requiring professional 2XKO players to abandon other games and allowing 2XKO to be featured in tournaments alongside other fighting games. This approach is similar to how Riot Games initially managed the professional League of Legends scene before fully taking control in the 2000s.

While Riot Games seems to be moving away from the fully franchised format of League of Legends and Valorant, nothing has been finalized. There are no written agreements, and situations can evolve over time. No interviews or official blog posts have discussed these changes yet.

Future Predictions of 2XKO

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With the name announcement of 2XKO, it was revealed that Riot Games is preparing for an at-home trial to begin in 2024. This will include a closed beta that players can apply for via the 2XKO website. Previously, there have been invite-only playtests and practical demonstrations at select events.

Also Read: Riot Unveils New PvE Mode for League of Legends in 2024

Conclusion

In conclusion, 2XKO is an intriguing adaptation of League of Legends characters into a fighting game format. While "2XKO" might seem like an unusual name, it aptly references the game’s two-versus-two fighter setup, where battles will inevitably lead to knockouts. The world of Project L holds vast potential for innovations and positive changes in the gaming landscape.