Riot GamesRiot’s first-ever fighting game, 2XKO, is finally moving from closed beta to early access. Here’s what that means for players and what you can expect.
2XKO is a 2v2 tag fighting game within the League of Legends universe. It can be played in teams of two people, or one player versus another.
The game, initially announced in 2019 and codenamed ‘Project L,’ has gone through a few closed tests in the five years since then, with the latest closed beta taking place in September 2025.
The ball is finally rolling forward for 2XKO as the game enters early access, as revealed by developers Tom Cannon and Shaun Rivera in an announcement video on September 23.
Riot GamesWhen is 2XKO entering Early Access?
2XKO’s closed beta will end on Tuesday, October 7 — the same day that it enters Early Access.
That’s not the only thing dropping that day; the devs also confirmed a new character is set to release, as well, so be on the lookout for another champion entering the fray.
What’s included in 2XKO’s Early Access?
Early access marks the first full-featured version of the game, which will include a complete season’s worth of content and new features like beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert-level combo trials.
Like other fighting games, 2XKO will also be getting a Battle Pass, which generally comes with new characters, costumes, stages, taunts, and other such accoutrements.
Riot GamesThat’s not all; players will no longer have to work to get their in-game content back once early access ends. This time, they’ll be able to keep all their costumes, colors, etc. permanently.
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Ranked mode, which was available in the closed beta, is also a core part of early access, allowing players to grind to the top of the global leaderboards.
2XKO seasons explained
In their video, the devs revealed that, like other fighting games, 2XKO will also feature different seasons; but these seasons are far faster than other titles in the genre.
Instead of one season per year ala Street Fighter and Tekken, 2XKO will have five seasons per year, each with a new character and other in-game content, so there’s always something to look forward to.
2XKO First Impact program explained
Having seen all the support from fighting game tournaments during 2XKO’s closed beta, Riot has decided to sponsor a total of 22 tournaments for the remainder of 2025, including majors like Puerto Rico’s First Attack, The Mixup, Dreamhack, and more.
These tournaments are part of what Riot calls its ‘First Impact’ program, and will feature a pot bonus from Rio. Duos will get a special prize for competing in teams of two, as well, encouraging four players to go head-to-head in a tag-team competition the FGC hasn’t seen since the likes of Street Fighter x Tekken.
The first First Impact tournament kicks off at Evo France from October 10 – 12. Thus far, there is no set release date for 2XKO’s official launch, but with early access so close and containing so much content, it might as well be fully out, anyway. Happy fighting!