2XKO Alpha Lab Playtest Players Can Expect A “Decent Amount Of Jank,” Riot Says

Developer Riot Games will soon be running the first at-home playtest for its League of Legends fighting game 2XKO, and is warning players to expect “a decent amount of jank” in addition to detailing all the characters, features, and work-in-progress elements players will be able to go hands-on with from August 8-19.

The playtest for the free-to-play fighter, Riot says in a blog post, is a “super early build.” As such, not everything will be polished, with Riot saying players will “probably encounter a decent amount of jank” and that some features might not work as intended. Players may also experience crashes and other errors.

Six characters will make up the playtest’s roster: Ahri, Braum, Darius, Ekko, Illaoi, and Yasuo. Each will be unlocked from the start, but Riot says future playtests may require players to unlock additional fighters through missions or with credits. There will be four stages to choose from, as well as a battle pass for players to progress through that includes skins for Ahri and Yasua alongside additional rewards like currency, avatar emotes, stickers, and other customization options. Casual and private matches will be available with cross-play enabled for those playing in the same region. A tutorial, as well as a training mode, will also be playable. This playtest will not include an offline or local play option.

The Alpha Lab playtest will be the first good look at how 2XKO handles its in-game lobbies, and will see players creating customizable chibi avatars that can be used to run around a virtual arcade filled with 2XKO cabinets, similar to lobby systems seen in games like Street Fighter 6.

“We think playing with friends and making new ones is an amazing part of the fighting game experience, so our lobbies are built to bring that vibe to an online space,” Riot says.

None of the progress made towards the Alpha Lab playtest battle pass or currency earned will carry forward to future playtests, of which Riot says there will be more later this year. At the end of the playtest, players will receive a feedback survey the developer is encouraging every participant to fill out.

“Testing at this stage will give us time to incorporate feedback before launch,” Riot says. “Basically, this is your chance to actually shape 2XKO with your notes.”

2XKO is being planned for a 2025 launch, and it’s looking to bring some major changes to the tag-based fighter formula, including its support for up to four players in its 2v2 matches. Those interested in signing up for future playtests can register via the 2XKO website.