Ah, 2XKO. Riot Games’ long-teased fighting game finally steps into Early Access, and boy, does it punch… right in the monetization.
Let’s start with the basics: 2XKO is Riot’s attempt to convince the fighting game community that they can do more than just make people argue over who fed bot lane. Spoiler: they kinda can. The game looks slick — like if Street Fighter and League of Legends had a child that spent all its allowance on premium cosmetics. The animations are buttery smooth, the particle effects are shinier than Yasuo’s ego, and every move lands with the kind of weight that says, “Hey, maybe this isn’t just another Riot side project that’ll die in beta.”
But let’s not get carried away. This is still Early Access, meaning half the features are “coming soon,” and the other half are “temporarily disabled due to unforeseen server issues.” The matchmaking currently feels like a social experiment: “What happens if we pair a bronze player with someone who has literal frame data spreadsheets open on a second monitor?” Answer: pain.
The Characters
Riot’s roster is surprisingly diverse — a mix of League alumni and some new faces no one asked for but will still main because of vibes. Every champion’s got a skill ceiling that’s somewhere near Mount Everest, so expect the usual online experience: getting bodied by a 12-year-old who figured out infinites before breakfast.
The Gameplay
2XKO’s tag system is the headline mechanic. You can swap characters mid-combo, creating flashy, dynamic sequences that make you feel like a pro… until you realize you’re mashing harder than a Tekken player in slow motion. It’s smooth, responsive, and almost makes you forget that your opponent has 200 ping because they live on a different continent.
The Monetization (because of course)
Riot wouldn’t be Riot without reminding you that your wallet exists. Early Access already teases battle passes, skin bundles, Founder's packs, and exclusive cosmetics for those who pay to be “supporters of the genre.” You can tell they learned a lot from Valorant: mainly how to charge $30 for colors.
Performance and Netcode
Rollback netcode! Yes, it’s here — and it works... most of the time. You’ll still occasionally get hit by ghost limbs from two seconds ago, but compared to Street Fighter V’s launch, this feels like time travel tech.
Verdict
Riot Games’ 2XKO is a gorgeous, flashy, mechanically deep fighter that proves they can enter the genre with style — if you’re okay with a bit of chaos, lag, and a UI that screams “we’ll sell you everything later.”
It’s fun, it’s flashy, and it’s free (for now). But make no mistake: 2XKO’s Early Access isn’t just testing the game — it’s testing how much we’re willing to pay for another main menu full of “Coming Soon” buttons.
Score: 7/10 — “A combo of promise and corporate greed. Needs polish, not more premium currency.”
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