2XKO First Impact: Full Tournament Schedule, Locations, Sign-Up, and Prize Details

Riot Games has confirmed that its upcoming 2v2 fighting game, 2XKO, will officially move from closed beta to early access on October 7, 2025. Alongside the launch, Riot also unveiled First Impact, the game’s first competitive circuit, which will span 22 community-led tournaments around the world.

What Is First Impact?

First Impact is Riot’s first major step into competitive play for 2XKO. Instead of running official qualifiers or closed brackets, Riot is letting the community take the lead by sponsoring tournaments already organized by grassroots fighting game organizers.

According to Riot’s announcement, the program is designed “for the community, by the community,” with the publisher adding pot bonuses and rewards to boost visibility and prize support.

The circuit kicks off with Evo France (Oct. 10–12) and continues through major events like DreamHack Atlanta (Oct. 31 – Nov. 2), First Attack in Puerto Rico (Oct. 25–26), and regional tournaments across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

First Impact: All 22 Tournaments

Dates	Tournament Name	Location
October 10–12	Evo France: 2 NICE KO by The MixUp	Nice, France
October 18	Delfino Maza KO	Online (LATAM NORTH)
October 18	IBgames First Impact 1	Online (EMEA)
October 19	DIY: Bonus Track	New York, NY, United States
October 25–26	First Attack	San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
October 25	Set & Reset: First Impact 1	Online (EMEA)
October 25–26	Hades Club KO Arena	Online (LATAM SOUTH)
October 31 – Nov 2	DreamHack Atlanta	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
November 1–2	SOOP Super Tournament	Online (APAC)
November 8–9	R.I.S.C. 2025	Los Angeles, California, United States
November 9	IBgames First Impact 2	Online (EMEA)
November 14–16	Battle Coliseum	São Paulo, Brazil
November 14–16	Midwest Mixfest	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
November 15–16	INVATE APAC Cup	Online (APAC)
November 15	Set & Reset: First Impact 2	Online (EMEA)
November 22	FGC Teamups	Chicago, Illinois, United States
November 28–30	Thaiger Uppercut	Bangkok, Thailand
November 29–30	Mindset	Paris, France
December 6–7	TNS 2XKO	Online (NA)
December 6	2XKO Korea Open	Seoul, South Korea
December 7	2XKO Japan Knockout	Tokyo, Japan
December 13	FlyQuest – 2XKO Christmas Clash	Online (NA)

Rewards and Incentives for Players

Each First Impact tournament will feature open sign-ups, meaning no qualifiers are required to participate [here's the LINK to sign-ups].

Riot has also introduced a special Duo Bounty: if a team wins first place in pairs, they’ll earn an extra $2,500 USD on top of the tournament’s existing prize pool.

Winners won’t just walk away with cash, though. Riot confirmed that champions will also earn an exclusive Local Legend player title for their 2XKO accounts, a permanent badge of honor within the game.

“We want to spotlight organizers and help players compete for meaningful prizes,” Riot explained, noting that community tournament organizers have always been the backbone of the fighting game scene.

Early Access: What’s New in 2XKO?

Alongside the competitive push, 2XKO will enter early access on October 7, the same day its closed beta ends. This marks the first full-featured version of the game, complete with:

• A full season of content, including a new playable character.

• Combo trials across multiple skill levels (beginner through expert).

• A battle pass with characters, costumes, stages, and taunts.

• Permanent unlocks, meaning players keep their cosmetics even after early access.

• Ranked mode, carried over from the beta, letting players climb global leaderboards.

The developers, Tom Cannon and Shaun Rivera, also confirmed that 2XKO will feature five seasons per year, a much faster cadence than traditional fighting games like Street Fighter or Tekken. Each season will introduce a new character alongside additional content.

Why This Matters for the FGC

2XKO has been in development since 2019, first revealed under the codename Project L. After years of anticipation, the game is now making a serious entry into the fighting game community (FGC). Riot’s decision to back grassroots events instead of launching with a rigid esports league shows an approach similar to how traditional FGC titles grow, through local organizers, passion, and open participation.

Feedback gathered from First Impact will directly shape Riot’s 2026 competitive plans, ensuring the company’s long-term esports roadmap stays closely tied to the community’s needs.