2XKO Needs to Capitalize on League of Legends’ Biggest Strength

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2XKO Needs to Capitalize on League of Legends' Biggest Strength

Highlights

  • 2XKO’s Alpha Lab playtest for Riot’s League of Legends fighting game went smoothly, revealing 6 playable characters and 5 Fuse options.
  • With a 2025 release in sight, 2XKO bridges LoL and fighting game communities, gathering feedback for improvement and success.
  • To compete with LoL’s 168 Champions, 2XKO must expand roster diversity strategically, tapping into key character groups and regions.

As a seasoned League of Legends player with over a decade of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that the Alpha Lab playtest for Riot’s 2XKO has been nothing short of exhilarating! After years of anticipation, finally getting a glimpse into this upcoming fighting game has been a dream come true. With six confirmed characters and five Fuse options, it’s clear that 2XKO is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the League of Legends universe.

2XKO’s home Alpha Lab playtest by Riot Games ran successfully from August 8 to August 19, 2024, providing a sneak peek at the upcoming League of Legends fighting game for numerous participants. This event allowed lucky players and spectators an exclusive glimpse into the latest version of 2XKO, and it appears to be progressing well. As of now, six characters have been confirmed playable, along with five Fuse options, offering players plenty of time to hone their skills, engage in online battles, and even collaborate in these fights. This comprehensive testing ensures that all facets of the game receive thorough examination.

2XKO still has a significant journey ahead even with a planned release in 2025, yet the playtest offers optimism that it can unite the League of Legends and fighting game fanbases. The constructive criticism it’s received will propel it towards greater achievements, and the final product might prove to be a worthwhile wait as it aligns with League of Legends and Valorant as cornerstones of Riot’s competitive gaming portfolio. Announced early among League of Legends spin-offs, the anticipation for 2XKO is significant, but it must learn an essential lesson from its MOBA predecessor to truly shine.

League of Legends’ Roster Is Something 2XKO Should Aspire To

By July 2024, when Aurora is launched, League of Legends will have a massive roster of 168 playable Champions, a number that’s likely to keep growing. This has been one of League of Legends’ key advantages over other competitive games, and despite the challenges in maintaining balance and updates for all these characters visually, it’s a strength that’s proven its worth. Nearly everyone finds at least one character or skin within League of Legends’ roster appealing, which has been crucial in keeping the game vibrant as players come and go from the active community.

For What It Is, 2XKO Doesn’t Have Many Characters

While it may be somewhat unjust to directly compare 2XKO with a leading industry player like League, it’s challenging not to notice the significant difference in fighter roster size between the two. At present, the confirmed fighters from 2XKO are limited to:

  • Ahri
  • Braum
  • Darius
  • Ekko
  • Illaoi
  • Yasuo
  • Jinx (Unconfirmed, shown in trailers)
  • Katarina (Unconfirmed, shown in test footage)

2XKO has not surpassed the one hundred mark in character count, even including unverified characters from earlier versions. It appears that amassing a three-digit cast like its predecessor during its lifetime is improbable. Nevertheless, a tag-based fighting game should aim for more than just a small roster.

2XKO Must Represent LoL’s Diverse Stable of Champions

It’s reasonable to anticipate that the upcoming fighting game, 2XKO, will feature more than ten playable characters, possibly as many as twenty, but likely not exceeding that number significantly. Given that this is a free-to-play title, it’s likely that additional content, such as downloadable content (DLC), will be available for purchase. However, the developers of 2XKO have confirmed that these extras can be earned within the game, similar to how champions are obtained in League of Legends. This setup paves the way for several League of Legends Champions to join 2XKO, but immediate focus should be placed on enhancing its character roster’s diversity. If 2XKO struggles to quickly expand its roster, it can mitigate this issue by adopting the right strategy.

League of Legends’ Major Character Groups Must Join 2XKO Early

As a passionate gamer immersed in the world of League of Legends, my top strategy for 2XKO would be to explore and conquer well-known locales and factions, then expand the roster from there. Major nations such as Freljord, Ionia, Noxus, and Zaun already have one or two Champions in 2XKKO, but they each have more iconic LoL characters yet to be included. There are also lesser-known regions like Ixtal, Shurima, the Shadow Isles, and arguably Bilgewater, since Illaoi better represents her home island, Buhru. Unusual races such as Yordles and Voidborn should not be overlooked either. 2XKO has barely tapped into the vast potential of League of Legends’ roster, but if executed correctly, this task promises to be a rewarding challenge rather than a burden.

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2024-08-17 18:05