Axe, you're up. In the LoL fighting game "2XKO" without a champion of your own, Jinks shoots, Arise catches, floats, and finishes—gg [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/482/G048219/20250926056/
Editorial Department: Instruments | 2025/09/26 10:59 (UTC)
At Tokyo Game Show 2025 (TGS 2025), I got to try out Riot Games’ fighting action title, “2XKO.”
This title is a 2v2 competitive fighting game based on Riot Games’ flagship MOBA, “League of Legends (LoL)”, and has been highly anticipated since its initial announcement.
It has previously appeared at the major fighting game tournament “EVO,” and multiple playtests have already taken place. A closed beta test is currently underway, but it will conclude exactly at 00:00 JST on October 8, 2025, after which the game will transition into early access.
In other words, next month anyone will be able to play it.
That said, even though I first purchased a champion in LoL named “Malphite,” I have no intention of holding out until early access like a top lane player without jungler support. So, I decided to try the latest version at the TGS venue.
Incidentally, how should one abbreviate 2XKO? Is it “Tukō”?
The trial version currently features only two game modes: “Versus” and “Training.” While a single-player story mode would be welcome in the future, it’s not available yet.
Also on October 8th, “Season 0” will launch, introducing the 10th champion. Furthermore, Riot Games plans to operate the game through five seasons by 2026. Each season will include rank resets, new champions, and battle passes.
This system seems similar to LoL’s own structure, so balance adjustments are likely included as well.
The playable characters are nine champions selected from over 170 currently available in LoL. The selection rate is about 5.29%, making it significantly higher than trying to obtain a UR-tier character in mobile games.
- Ahri (Spirit Rush, stop!)
- Blitzcrank (Grab and break!)
- Braum (Shield up!)
- Darius (Don’t spin!)
- Echo (Live further into the future)
- Illaoi (Don’t use it!)
- Jinx (BAN)
- Viego (Full health for lethal? ????)
- Yasuo (Yasuo)
Thumbnail image No.005 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025] Thumbnail image No.006 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025]
While my favorite champions like Azir, Hecarim, and Baha aren’t included—this fact does nothing to lift my spirits—I notice that melee-oriented champions dominate the roster.
Currently, it’s said that “Jinx’s projectiles are strong.” Her ability to constantly fire “floating” projectiles reminiscent of Summoner’s Rift likely caught players’ attention. She certainly seems powerful in practice.
Fighting games do include characters and systems with shooting mechanics. But such characters are typically treated as high-risk/high-reward—either extremely strong or weak. Bringing in champions like Ashe or Caitlyn may only be justified when the system is well-balanced, or if it signals a new era.
Regardless, this game already promises exciting potential for the future.
Each player chooses two champions—both their own and the opponent’s. After selection, players can also choose a “Fuse,” which functions like runes for customization.
- 2X ASSIST: Allows consecutive use of assist attacks twice.
- Double Down: During super moves, enables combo with backup champion’s ultimate move.
- Freestyle: Enables two consecutive character swaps.
- Side Kick: Prevents character swap but increases health and defense.
- Jagarnote: Only one champion can be selected, granting permanent enhancement.
That said, it’s probably best not to memorize these systems immediately. There are so many core mechanics introduced here that trying to learn them all at once is as difficult as learning LoL for the first time.
Until you fully grasp how things work, sticking with “2X ASSIST: rapid assist spam!” or “Double Down: easy damage boost!” would be safer choices.
Each champion has their own health and ultimate gauge. The round ends when both champions’ gauges are depleted.
The control scheme uses a joystick plus six buttons, with an additional button for one-touch activation of specific actions:
- Attack Button: “L (weak),” “M (medium),” “H (strong)”
- Ultimate Button: “S1,” “S2”
- Assist Button: “T (Team)”
Ultimates are triggered by pressing the S button or using directional inputs like “S1 + →.” There are no traditional command inputs such as 236 or 623—this design clearly aims to eliminate the long-standing issue of fighting games being too difficult, making it accessible to everyone.
As a result, basic combo sequences become “L→M→H→S1.” With applications, many champions can perform “floating attacks” using the [3] (strong) input, resulting in combos like: “L→M→H→[3]H→J (jump) L→JM→JH→JS1.”
Additionally, there’s a system called “Pulse Combo,” where hitting one button repeatedly triggers stylish combos. For beginners, this is all you really need to know—essentially the “Ginso Raging Blade” of 2XKO.
Note: Simple controls don’t automatically mean “everyone can easily play.” The ease of control actually lets skilled players perform more fluidly and allows deeper strategic depth, meaning better players become even stronger. While this system clearly solves a core challenge well, whether it truly represents the optimal solution for the next generation remains unclear—only God knows.
Thumbnail image No.008 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025] Thumbnail image No.009 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025]
Note that double jump and aerial dash are only available to champions who have them as inherent traits.
There’s also “Backstep Guard,” allowing a retreat during block. A distance-reducing action with gauge cost called “Push Block”, preventing you from being hit by one-hit attacks like “Don’t go!” Then there’s “Break,” equivalent to a burst, and “Parry,” an evasive move that consumes gauge. Parry is so effective it can almost guarantee counterhit on M or L attacks.
When any champion is knocked out, players can activate “Fury Break.” During this state, attack and defense increase by 25%, and the gray portion of health gradually recovers.
Using the T button, you can utilize your backup champion in various ways. However, reusing these actions requires a five-count cooldown, preventing spamming:
- Swap with backup: “Tag Launcher,” “Quick Tag”
- Summon backup: “Assist Action”
- Push opponent away using backup: “Push Assist”
- Instantly swap with backup: “Handshake Tag”
Even when the backup champion is at 0 HP and defeated, players can still use assist actions. If you’ve charged up your ultimate gauge separately, even super moves are possible—something not common in many games, making this a particularly interesting feature.
Now, if I asked you to recall everything about “Fuses” mentioned earlier right now, most people wouldn’t remember it. So don’t worry—you don’t need to memorize all of this before playing. Instead, focus on internalizing each action’s clear role and strength so that during gameplay, usage becomes natural and instinctive—just keep your motivation up.
Thumbnail image No.010 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025] Thumbnail image No.011 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025] Thumbnail image No.012 / Azir, wait up. In the LoL fighting game without your own champion, Ziggs shoots, Ahri picks up and floats to finish with gg [TGS2025]
In actual combat, the pace is fast and matches are grounded in solid strategy. Frame-perfect inputs for combo continuation aren’t really necessary—basically, you can skip over that kind of precision.
What stands out most is undoubtedly the presence of backup characters’ “assists.” Games with assist mechanics often tend to either force overly long, confusing combos, create chaotic screen clutter, or produce massive, time-consuming combos so lengthy they make you want to leave. Many times, this results in making your opponent smile.
The way assists trap opponents and then allow precise choice between front/back or low/middle attacks feels like something straight out of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future. The chaotic screen mess is unmistakably reminiscent of the Marvel vs. Capcom series.
And the combo video shared on official X (formerly Twitter) was clearly a spell-like sequence—hard to grasp at first glance, so let me try conveying it by vibe:
“Float, pick up, float again, assist pickup, float, backside drop, super finish.”
While this may not make sense to most people, personally I found it reminiscent of the “Scalp Girls’ thing” (in a good way!). And if you had an invincible Rising Dragon-style assist that could interrupt with a hit—well, then it’d be confirmed as a full-on “assist game” (badly so!).
That said, this kind of long combo was more prominent in earlier versions. Now the duration has been adjusted to reduce periods where players are helpless. Yet, it hasn’t been completely removed—if you choose the right Fuse, you can still pull off those dazzling combos that make your opponent smile.
Overall, the game feels like a well-crafted fighting title. It’s not just another genre spin-off from LoL meant only to expand its IP—it’s clearly designed with eSports in mind, and it fits perfectly within that scene.
As an additional note, Riot Games has announced its “First Impact Program,” currently sponsoring 22 community-run tournaments. They’re actively supporting these events by adding funds to prize pools and providing special awards for winners.
At the booth, you’ll find regular trial machines, a win-streak challenge machine (limited to five wins), and a punching machine themed around Viego’s Q skill: “Go straight and smash.” Just be careful not to blink too much.
Interestingly, Riot Games is making its “first appearance at TGS this year.” While you might feel a disconnect in perception, I personally thought “Wait, really?”—because Riot has almost always exhibited at major international game events (Riot’s headquarters).
I hadn’t noticed it before because I was so used to seeing them around. Now, with LoL and “VALORANT” both having high recognition in Japan’s esports scene, this TGS debut is quite notable. The most straightforward explanation? Fighting games are particularly accessible in Japan—so Riot decided to give it a try.
Regardless, 2XKO clearly had enough impact to make this first appearance possible at TGS. While the future remains uncertain, early access starting in October will likely turn out to be one of those titles that just keeps pushing forward and gaining momentum.