Riot Games’ new 2v2 fighting game, 2XKO, is here for closed beta testing! A new spin on the vast universe of Runeterra, 2XKO will allow you to use legendary champions from League of Legends to settle grudges with friends, or start new ones in the arena.
To join the closed beta, players have to sign up and get an invite from the official Riot Games website. Alternatively, you can also beg a friend who is participating in the beta test, as each registered beta tester can invite up to 3 additional friends to play along (or beat up).
As of September 9, 2XKO is only available for closed beta testing on PC, with PlayStation and Xbox access yet to be announced. According to Riot, while this is the start of the full rollout of the game, there is no official launch date yet. But when the game is fully released on all platforms, it will be completely free to play.
The beta currently has nine total champions available, with 6 unlocked by default and 3 unlockable by Tokens and Credits. Beta testers will be given 2 free Tokens to unlock 2 champions for free, allowing them to battle in exciting 2v2 matches. The list of unlocked champions includes Ahri, Braum, Darius, Ekko, Illaoi, and Yasuo, while Blitzcrank, Jinx and Vi can be unlocked using Tokens or Credits.
Having tried the beta, we can say that what currently sets 2XKO apart (other than the price tag of a smile and a click) is the focus on tag gameplay. With its Fuse concept, where you pick how your tag champions support each other, the game makes it flexible for people with many different playstyles to thrive.
Unlike other mainstream fighting games, 2XKO rolls with extremely simple commands and movesets. However, this does not mean that the game is simpler. Instead of focusing on complex inputs, the game seems to focus a lot more on character individuality and timing. Combos are much shorter than in other games, and strings are much more intricate. When these simple moves are executed on time, it can lead to devastating strings.
With things like Vi’s down launcher and Darius mid-air pull being examples, other characters’ individuality is exaggerated by their tag champions and fuses picked alongside them. The tutorials do a really good job of helping the players grasp the basics and the advanced concepts of fighting games without it feeling like a 6-dimensional Rubik’s Cube.
So far, there has been no official end or finish date for the closed beta testing. If everything we said sounds good to you, then sign up and grab a friend (or three) and put them in their place now on 2XKO!
