Summary
The at-home Alpha Lab playtest for Riot’s2XKOhas gone smoothly for the most part, introducing many more people to the upcomingLeague of Legendsfighting game. Lasting from August 8 to July 12, 2025, this has given lucky players and viewers the most up-to-date look at2XKOyet, and it seems to be shaping up nicely. Sporting six confirmed playable characters so far alongside five Fuse options, the Alpha Lab has given players ample time to practice their skills, fight others online, and even team up in those fights, ensuring that all aspects of the game can be tested.
2XKOhas a long way to go even with a tentative 2025 release window, but this playtest inspires confidence in its ability to bridge theLeague of Legendsand fighting game communities. The feedback it has gathered should push2XKOto greater heights, and the end result may be worth the years-long wait as it joinsLeague of LegendsandValorantas pillars of Riot’s competitive gaming repertoire. As one of theearliestLeague of Legendsspin-offs announced, expectations for2XKOare high, but it needs to learn a vital lesson from its MOBA parent to truly excel.
League of Legends’ Roster Is Something 2XKO Should Aspire To
As of Aurora’s release in July 2024,League of Legendshas accumulated a staggering 168 playable Champions, and it’s likely far from done. This statistic has remained one of theLeague of Legends’ main advantages over other competitive games, and despite how hard updating the whole cast’s balance and visuals has been, it’s proven to be a strength worth having. Just about everyone has some character orskin permutation inLeague of Legends’ castthat appeals to that, and that inherent appeal has proven vital to keeping the game healthy as players cycle in and out of the active community.
For What It Is, 2XKO Doesn’t Have Many Characters
Having an industry giant as its nearest comparison point isn’t entirely fair to2XKO, but it’s still hard not to point out how small its roster is in comparison toLeague. Right now,the2XKOfighters revealedare:
Even counting the unconfirmed characters from older builds,2XKOhasn’t even reached two digits yet. Reaching the three-digit cast of its older sibling seems unlikely within2XKO’s lifespan, but a tag-based fighting game still can’t afford to settle for a tiny roster.
2XKO Must Represent LoL’s Diverse Stable of Champions
It is safe to assume that2XKOwill launch with over ten fighters, maybe even reaching twenty, but not much more than that. As this is a free-to-play fighting game, one should expect paid DLC, but2XKO’s developers have already confirmed that they will be earn-able in-game like inLeague of Legendsproper. That means the framework forlots ofLoLChampionsto join2XKOis already built, but it needs to focus on improving its roster representation as soon as possible. Even if2XKOcan’t get the roster size it needs quickly enough, it could smooth things over with the right approach.
League of Legends' Major Character Groups Must Join 2XKO Early
The best plan for2XKOis to check off popularLeague of Legendslocales and factions, and then keep building the roster out from there. Major nations or regions like Freljord, Ionia, Noxus, and Zaun already have one or two Champions in2XKO, but all of them have more iconicLoLcharacters to adapt. Then there are otherunrepresented places, like Ixtal, Shurima, the Shadow Isles, and, arguably, Bilgewater, since Illaoi better represents her home island, Buhru. Unusual folk like Yordles and Voidborn deserve space as well.2XKOhas barely scratched the surface ofLeague of Legends’ roster, but if handled right, the task ahead should be more of a boon than a curse.
