2XKO in 2026: Console release and the official Competitive Series

by

Riot’s new fighting game is different from their other popular games, League of Legends and Valorant. Unlike those titles, it won’t have its own dedicated league. Instead, its esports scene, called 2XKO, will be part of the existing fighting game community’s events.

Fans were thrilled about the new fighting game, but they were especially excited about the official esports support from the game’s creators, Riot Games. With League of Legends being so successful, many professional players believed 2XKO had the potential to become a major competitive title.

The new 2XKO Competitive Series, launching in 2026 and planned to continue after that, shouldn’t discourage professional esports players. Riot Games also shared exciting news for fans and players who don’t compete at the highest levels. You can find all the details here.

When is 2XKO coming to consoles?

2XKO is scheduled to launch on Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5 in January 2026.

This is fantastic news, especially since so many players in the fighting game community use these consoles.

The game 2XKO is now easier for tournament organizers to include in events on PlayStation 5 and Xbox. Major events like Evo are already utilizing the PlayStation version.

2XKO 2026 Competitive Series: Official support of FGC events

Unlike League of Legends and Valorant, which have their own esports leagues managed by Riot Games, the 2XKO Competitive Series is taking a different approach. Beginning in 2026, the developers will officially support established fighting game community (FGC) events rather than creating a new league from scratch.

This support involves larger prize amounts and promotion through official Riot Games platforms. This is significant, especially considering Riot’s history of building some of the largest esports systems. They’ve also recently shared their approach to balancing the 2XKO feature for both competitive and casual gamers.

The schedule of the 2XKO Competitive Series in 2026 is tightly connected to the in-game seasons.

  • 2026 features 5 Major tournaments and 15 Challenger events.
  • 1 Major and three Challengers last for one in-game season in 2XKO.

The first season of 2XKO is planned to begin in January 2026, and we now know the details for its inaugural esports Major event.

  • Frosty Faustings 2026, a big FGC event, was chosen to host 2XKO Major from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1.

The Challenger events of this season are the following:

  • Genesis X3, from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15.
  • Texas Showdown, from March 27 to March 29.
  • viennality 2k26, from March 27 to March 29.

In addition to major tournaments, the team behind 2XKO is committed to supporting smaller, local events. This competitive series isn’t just about exciting gameplay at the biggest competitions—it’s also about helping new players develop the skills to compete at that level in the future.

Frame Perfect 2XKO skins to support esports

2XKO is a free-to-play fighting game, and Riot Games isn’t running it as a charity. Like with games such as League of Legends, they plan to fund the game and its esports scene by selling cosmetic items (‘skins’) and directing revenue towards competitive play.

  • Frame Perfect is the first set of 2XKO skins for this initiative. You can buy it in the 2XKO Store in Season 1.

I’ve already seen some awesome 2XKO esports action this year, like at Evo France 2025 where Wawa, a Dragon Ball FighterZ legend, took first place. But with the official 2XKO Competitive Series kicking off, I’m expecting way more tournaments and even higher-level competition – maybe even leading up to a full 2026 season!

Allowing players to purchase cosmetic items to help fund esports is a great way to support the fighting game community. It’s a much more appealing option than charging people to watch the Capcom Cup 12 online.

Read More

2025-12-07 00:11