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2025 is the sink or swim year for 2XKO, as my most anticipated game finally nears its release date

Can 2XKO make waves in a genre dominated by classic IPs? We'll not be waiting long to find out.

yasuo from the 2XKO trailer
Image credit: Riot Games

2025 is the year in which we'll finally, finally get to see 2XKO come out. If it feels like an age since whispers about Riot's in-house fighting game were floating around... you're right! The developers at Radiant were aquired all the way back in 2016 - roughly 8 years ago. This year we'll finally see just how big a splash Riot can make in the fighting game space.

I for one think it'll be a big deal, and a game that has the potential to truly shift the genre in a few significant ways. It's rare a game can do that. Guilty Gear Strive was the straw that broke the digital camel's back during the height of the COVID pandemic, pushing developers to finally adapt improved network infrastructure industry-wide. Back in 2009, Street Fighter 4 kicked off a fighting game revival of sorts, introducing a new generation (including me) to the genre and igniting a spark that would lead to several major releases for IPs that had been hibernating. I have no doubt that 2XKO has the potential to be in the same boat in terms of impact.

The reason why is clear. Riot Games has a particular approach to making new games in that when it does decide to venture into a new gaming scene, it wants to be a major player. Valorant is the prime example of this, adding a hero-style twist to a tactical shooter, bridging the gap between Counter Strike and Overwatch. It has proven impactful too, building a significant playerbase that brushes up against CS's popularity.

But this has not always proved a guarantee of industry-shaking success. Legends of Runeterra still exists, but has certainly struggled during its life. Designed as a player-friendly online card game, the game was solid! However, in spite of a shift in approach, it failed to really take on the big hitters like Magic the Gathering Online or Hearthstone. Nonetheless, it still exists, but is likely far from the crown jewel it was intended as.

2
2XKO in Berlin Arena.
Riot has already played around with 2XKO in competitive settings, albeit very briefly. | Image credit: Louffy

Where 2XKO will land in the wider fighting game space as the new kid on the block remains to be seen, but with a forward-thinking network system, a cool lobby system that replicates the real life arcade and spectator experience, and a simplified approach to controls, it's clear the devs have made strides towards accessibility in hopes of opening up the game to those outside of the fighting game fanbase.

Whether it'll work is the big question. During the alpha lab, we did see a portion of the playerbase fresh to fighters remain frustrated at parts of the experience. Perhaps we'll discover how firm the barrier to entry really is. It's not like games such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Rocket League, and CS2 etc are particularly easy to pick up - maybe presentation and a big IP like League is what is needed.

2XKO finger tattoo on player Nitten's hand.
The game, despite not being out, already has its superfans. | Image credit: Nitten

It's also the first traditional fighter to truly embrace the free-to-play model. While developers like Capcom and Bandai Namco have dipped toes into the live service world, Riot Games is built upon this model. If any company can take a proper crack at a free-to-play fighting game with this model, it's Riot, surely. The challenge will be convincing a userbase that perhaps isn't used to that kind of monetisation in their games. Still, we've seen big games like Tekken 8 and Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising shoot shots at the idea.

While I'm optimistic, I do forsee a few roadbumps post-launch. For one, it's got to keep people invested. Assuming the game will hit the 10-character milestone, that's not a huge roster compared to other games, especially in a tag fighter. While the fuse system provides extra depth that'll surely mix up the experience for many, one hopes the game won't grow stale quickly. Then there's a current lack of single player content, and while I've never been convinced a big story mode or other single player activity really works at capturing hearts and minds in the long term, it remains a component many casual players value quite highly.

Ultimately, I'm excited. If 2XKO drops and makes waves, we could see a wider growth in the genre. A rising tide lifts all ships, as they say. On top of that, a truly successful free-to-play model could push other developers to embrace it, and the huge number of curious players that comes with the deconstruction of a financial barrier to entry. I have no doubt that the development team are focused primarily on just making a great fighter - and having played it a few times over the past few years I feel they have. I do worry about the level of expectations placed upon this game from players, even as I write this article which arguably adds onto that pressure. Oops.

With the game coming out this year, expect to see a lot of noise around 2KXO, especially here. There's a lot riding on the game, not just for Riot Games, but for fans of the genre as a whole. The team has been patiently tending the 2XKO garden for a while, but how sweet the fruits of this labour will be, and how many will hop over the fence to taste the juice, is the big question I'm keen to see answered in the coming months.

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