The wait is finally over. Riot Games has officially kicked off 2XKO Season 1, unleashing the League of Legends universe into the fighting game community with a massive launch update. Released globally on January 20, 2026, the 2v2 tag-team fighter has already seen a record-breaking surge in concurrent players on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. With the debut of Caitlyn as the newest playable champion, a fully fleshed-out ranked ladder, and a comprehensive Battle Pass, the League of Legends fighting game is dominating the conversation. Whether you are a veteran of the FGC or a LoL player stepping into the ring for the first time, here is everything you need to know about the 2XKO Season 1 launch.
2XKO Season 1 Launch Details: Caitlyn Joins the Fight
The headline act of the Season 1 update is the arrival of Caitlyn, the Sheriff of Piltover. Joining the launch roster of 12 champions, Caitlyn fills a crucial archetype as a dedicated zoner. Her kit revolves around controlling space with her signature Yordle Snap Trap and Piltover Peacemaker, forcing opponents to navigate a minefield before they can close the gap. Early impressions from the 2XKO champion tier list 2026 discussions suggest she is a hard counter to grapplers like Braum and Darius, making her an essential pick for strategic duos.
Alongside Caitlyn, the launch update solidified the roster with heavy-hitters like Warwick and Ekko, offering a diverse meta right out of the gate. Riot has also confirmed that new champions will continue to drop throughout the year, with leaks already hinting at Katarina potentially joining the fray in Season 2.
Official Riot Games 2XKO PC Requirements
One of the biggest questions for competitive players is performance. Riot Games has maintained its reputation for optimization, ensuring the game runs smoothly on a wide range of hardware. To climb the ladder without technical hiccups, you'll need to meet the official Riot Games 2XKO PC requirements.
Minimum System Requirements (1080p / 60 FPS)
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon R9 380
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 20 GB SSD
Recommended System Requirements
- OS: Windows 11
- CPU: Intel Core i5-11400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 20 GB SSD
For the best PC competitive games 2026 experience, using a wired ethernet connection and a high-refresh-rate monitor is highly recommended to minimize input lag.
2XKO Ranked Ladder Guide: From Iron to Challenger
The competitive heart of Season 1 is the new Ranked Mode. Unlike the casual queues, the 2XKO ranked ladder guide begins with a prerequisite: players must reach Account Level 3 to unlock ranked play. This ensures that teammates have at least a basic understanding of the tag mechanics before jumping into high-stakes matches.
The ladder follows a familiar Riot structure, divided into tiers from Iron to Diamond, followed by the apex tiers of Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger. Here is how the climb works:
- Ranked Points (RP): You need 100 RP to promote between divisions (e.g., Gold III to Gold II).
- Placements: A 5-match placement series determines your starting rank.
- Challenger Rank: Reserved for the top 500 players in the region who have reached Grandmaster with at least 500 RP.
Crucially, 2XKO supports Duo Ranked, allowing you and a friend to queue together regardless of rank disparity, though match-making will weight the lobby toward the higher-ranked player. This feature has already made it a top contender for the best PC competitive games 2026 for social play.
Battle Pass Rewards and Monetization
The Season 1 Battle Pass brings the "Arcane" aesthetic into the game. The premium track includes exclusive skins for Jinx, Vi, and Ekko, modeled after their appearances in the hit series. While the game is free-to-play, players can opt for "Starter Editions" to instantly unlock champions rather than grinding credits. The 2XKO Battle Pass rewards also include exclusive lobby titles, emotes, and color variants (chromas) that allow for deep personalization of your main duo.
With the servers stable and the meta evolving by the hour, now is the perfect time to jump in. Whether you are labbing Caitlyn combos or grinding for Challenger, 2XKO has firmly established itself as the new heavyweight champion of the fighting game genre.
