Riot’s Fighting Game 2XKO Will Launch With Just 10 Champions—But More Are on the Way

Riot Games has confirmed that 2XKO, its upcoming League of Legends-based fighting game, will launch with only 10 playable champions. This news came straight from a recent developer Q&A and video update (noted by VG247), sparking plenty of conversation among fans about the game's starting lineup.

Why Just 10 Characters?

Game director Shaun Rivera addressed concerns about the smaller roster in a Q&A with Twitch streamer Sajam and on the official 2XKO Discord. His reasoning? Riot wants to get the game into players’ hands sooner rather than later.

"We know it seems like a low number. Trust me, we hear it, But we'd rather get the game out to you to play ASAP instead of holding it back until we have a higher number of champions."

To make up for the smaller lineup, 2XKO will lean on its unique gameplay systems, including Fuses and Solo/Duo play, which aim to create a variety of playstyles. Plus, since 2XKO is a live-service game, new champions will drop regularly after launch.

"The champion train is gonna start once we're out the door."

Quality Over Quantity

Executive producer Tom Cannon also weighed in, pointing out that the team has been constantly refining characters, like tweaking Jinx since her early development phase.

"You can see how much effort our creative department and the whole team has put into continuing to make the game as good as it can be."

Who’s in the Roster So Far?

While 2XKO’s launch lineup might seem small compared to games like Street Fighter 6 (18 fighters) or Dragon Ball FighterZ (24), Riot is standing by its approach. So far, the confirmed 7 champions are:

• Ahri

• Ekko

• Yasuo

• Darius

• Illaoi

• Braum

• Jinx

Katarina was spotted in early footage but has since been cut from the initial release. That leaves three more mystery champions yet to be revealed from League of Legends’ massive 170+ character roster.

When Can You Play?

If you’re itching to try 2XKO, an Alpha Lab preview is set for April 18–20 in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. However, Riot still hasn’t locked in a full release date.

While some fans might be disappointed by the smaller starting roster, others are hopeful that Riot’s approach will pay off in the long run. Either way, 2XKO is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the fighting game scene—and this is just the beginning.