How does 2XKO’s netcode work?

The quality of the network code significantly impacts the enjoyment of fighting games, so players are eagerly anticipating that 2XKO will deliver an optimal gaming experience in this regard.

If you’re new to fighting games and haven’t encountered the term “netcode” yet, we’ll give you a brief overview. Essentially, netcode refers to the system a fighting game uses to enable online play, as defined in detail by Infil’s comprehensive Fighting Game Glossary.

A good network code guarantees an immediate or nearly instantaneous registration of your button presses by the server, minimizing lag for both you and your opponent. This ensures a fair match, as any delay could unfairly influence the outcome. If you’re unsure about the significance of consistent input delivery in fighting games, take a look at the legendary Evo Moment 37. In a less favorable network environment, Daigo Umehara might not have executed his remarkable comeback against Justin Wong during their online match.

In most combat-style video games, two types of network coding are typically employed: delay-based and rollback. Delay-based coding is simpler to create but may not deliver the consistent input you anticipate from a fighting game. Rollback coding, on the other hand, can be challenging to implement effectively, yet it provides an online gaming experience that feels similar to offline play when executed correctly.

Riot Games has announced that they will employ rollback netcode for the game 2XKO, and provided a simple overview on how their team is addressing this crucial topic.

Riot wants to offer the best online experience possible in 2XKO

Although Riot Games hasn’t shared extensive technical information about 2XKO’s netcode yet, the developer has promised some significant improvements to excite their fans.

In an official video before the Alpha Lab playtest of 2XKO, Riot stated their aim is to ensure top-notch online gameplay. They referenced the term ‘netcode,’ which is the method used by game clients to communicate with the server. Essentially, when you press a button in a game, your input is transmitted over the network and both players see the result on their screens. The quality of netcode impacts the smoothness of your online experience significantly, as the timing of your inputs plays a crucial role. To enhance 2XKO’s online play, Riot plans to utilize advanced technology similar to what they employ in games like League and VALORANT, incorporating dedicated servers and their proprietary hosting system.

It appears that Riot is providing a seamless gaming experience during the Alpha Lab testing, and we can anticipate that 2XKO’s netcode will likely enhance even more at its official launch.