How 2XKO (Project L) Can Change the Future of Fighting Games

Riot Games new fighting game, formerly Project L and now 2XKO is one that I'm hoping will bring in very important changes to the fighting game genre in how it's delivered, percieved, and how popular and accessible it is to new players, and hopefully push an already growing genre into a peak that it never managed to achieve.

[@Judderplush]

Great video, hopefully this revives the love for fighters for the new generation. I think a lot of the incentive for buying fighting games is a history or nostalgia of playing tekken back on the ps1/ps2,. I notice a lot of my friends have 0 interest simply because they get put off by the mechanics or lack of experience with fighting games as whole. Hopefully being f2p and having a recognisable IP will skyrocket popularity and get more of my firends involved. Grinding ranked on tekken 8 and sf6 isn't the most sociable act

[@leansteiner8886]

Great video, one thing to note at the end is that there isnt a really good f2p figthing game, ki wasnt f2p, it was free to try, same with GBFVR, in ki you get 1 character and thats it, in gb you get 4 every week but cant play to unlock new ones, that why 2XKO will probably be the first successful f2p fighting game.

[@MikaMikaMika89]

I *love* super smash brothers because the difficulty is in stuff like timing, and mastery of the basics, not memorising huge move sets and combos. Probably why it's the *only* fighting game I can really enjoy for more than a few hours.

[@hyperboreen4854]

Except it's not a fighting game.

[@MikaMikaMika89]

@@hyperboreen4854 sorry didn't realise it was a romance sim.

[@hyperboreen4854]

@@MikaMikaMika89 I love Smash Bros, but it's more of a party game, it's not Versus Fighting.

[@PapaBearIsHere]

@@hyperboreen4854 Its a party fighting game, it still has combos, movesets, and is based on fighting other opponents in a 2D landscape, not every fighting game needs to have the exact same small close-screen combat.

[@hyperboreen4854]

@@PapaBearIsHere It has the triangular mecanico-dynamic of a fighting game (attack/guard/grab) but you're not forced to face your opponent. A party fighting game yeah ok, but it's not Versus Fighting (=true fighting games).

[@windwatcher460]

As someone who only got into fighting games because i found a free one in Idol Showdown, I agree with you

[@yslaar]

I come from the Smash Bros. Melee community back in the 2006-2010 era, so for me, I think what a lot of fighting games are missing in their formula for attracting a wider audience is casual appeal. I was more into the competitive side of Melee, but what Blippi and Slippi did for the game in recent years is nothing short of amazing; adding so much to the game even outside of the competitive scene, like volleyball. The community is still small, but I think there's a longevity to it now that wasn't there before. Like you said, when it's just 1v1, it puts a lot of pressure on a player to perform, but fighting games are also a pure test of skill (maybe aside from some character ability outliers that are luck based) which is intimidating when someone just wants to live in a character fantasy. So I think fighting games in general could benefit from more "fun" casual modes. I know Smash Bros. and Multiversus are more unique in that sense, as their controls lean more toward side-scrolling brawlers where those fun and wacky mechanics are easier to implement, but fun game modes or wacky features could help the game's wider appeal and longevity. And I'm not talking about things like the Mortal Kombat games with their various single player modes either; I'm talking about pvp game modes that aren't so focused on the serious, competitive climb. Single player game modes are fun, but a lot of casual players who are intimidated or uninterested in pvp basically don't count in this community sense, because they do not technically keep the game "alive". Also, historically, fighting games only have a large community and hype around them for a very limited time, and that's including their dlc characters/arenas. This is either due to the game not "evolving" enough over time, or sequels (like the insane release cycle of BlazBlue) forcing a new hard purchase that the community inevitably migrates to. This means that any potential new/casual players that might be interested in a fighting game have a very small window to engage with the content and not feel left behind, whether that be due to skill differences, the game dying, or the sequel taking its place. That perception of that window is extremely damaging to the appeal of fighting games. Overall, I think fighting games still have a lot of learning and growing to do, and I worry that even though 2XKO might approach things similarly to the live service models of LoL or Valorant, and that they plan on the 2v2 arena-style combat, that those still won't be enough by themselves to break through the wider audience of players. I hope they have something big in mind, but I feel like they're only trying to refine their core experience as much as possible, and that will never be enough to break through the fighting game curse.

[@peniasd]

@@HighLanderPonyYT Basically saying that fighting games could benefit with pvp modes that are more fun oriented than competitive for them not to be so intimidating to wider audiences. 2XKO is going to try and approach this by implementing co-op but that might not be enogh for it to appeal to massive crowds I think the price barrier and the input barrier being put lower is a solid first step for casuals to realize the character fantasy easier and that's a good thing. The issue is going to be whether or not enough people get into the game for it to be no that big of a skill gap between new and enfranchised players, that I think it will be a decisive factor in the success of the game.

[@m0ejo324]

I believe that this game you don't have to play with someone else. It can be a traditional tag team fighting game. So it can be 1v1 1v2 or 2v2. Also I hope Fiddlesticks is in the base roster.

[@memehivefive9852]

They did say you can go solo, though I don't know if it will be a 1v1 game mode or if you can 1v2

[@m0ejo324]

@@memehivefive9852 I looked it up and you can go 1v1 where it's 1 player with two characters versus another player with two characters

[@maboihwo]

it will probably won't change anything about the current big fighting games cuz their fanbase expect something from the base game that doesn't match the F2P model but it will grow the fgc.the challenge for big fighting games is to both appeal to a new player base while keep their already established fanbase and thats why they aren't F2P!a challenge that project L doesn't have

[@zoiuduu]

Why is this so widescreen?

[@jesussalazar8066]

Its crazy how people dont understand just who exactly is creating this game. Riot has been successful in creating competitive games they have the formula down (except for Runeterra) On top of that, the literal creators of EVO are the main heads working on this with the biggest fgc players on the team as well.

[@Jay-mx5ky]

Some are also the creators of rollback netcode, which is arguably more important.

[@DobbynciCode]

LoR's pro scene is also well managed territory. The thing that killed its competitive environment is its monetization model. You cannot support live server with all the competitive playerbase without the capital. FGC however can be monetized in many ways.

[@jesussalazar8066]

@@Jay-mx5ky 100% rollback is such a big thing for fgc games

[@andreamarques8328]

Small add on the except runeterra, runeterra was actually pretty popular, the problem with the game is that they did not want to make it pay to win with the classic rng gambling packs of cards, so basically the game monetization is so fair that the game does not make enough money to survive

[@Jay-mx5ky]

@@jesussalazar8066 Yep I'm excited, seems like they have an even better system with the riot direct servers than normal rollback. Of course this remains to be seen but I'm interested.

[@Pesola]

I would like to point out DOA6. Freemium pipeline just kills the game. A good fighting game... no. A good game does not need to have 9000 skins to live. Strive being a good example of it. We got the season passes for the characters, yes. But there is only 1 set of extra colours being sold for the game. But we also don't need to have 70 € costing games either. Strive is 40 € box and then the character DLC's (hopefully we get a REV2 kind of thing at some point so the base price will include several years worth of DLC). If you want skins for Strive, there is always the mod scene. I don't think Riot should be hailed as a saviour to FG once 2XKO comes out, because it will not be. It will have a good launch, sure, maybe even good life after it. Fighting games will always be a small community thing. And I honestly like it that way. I don't want a 7 million player base of toxic asshats to only be blocked as a daily occurrence.

[@peniasd]

I don't see how a fighting game could get to LoL levels of toxicity given that the social interactions are super limited. Honestly I just want a game that I can play with friends who are not fighting game enthusiast and that they get to have fun without having to go into labs for days, and party games like smash won't always be the answer for that itch. I just hope the fgc grows because the genre deserves to be more popular just because fighting games are to much fun for them to be enjoyed just by a few, (specially when getting into a "dead game" just pairs you with the same 5 dudes who will swoop the floor with you).

[@9zetsu]

​@@peniasdtbf I think 2xko will require a new player to practice a lot, considering its complex and fast mechanics.

[@Nutt_lemmings]

their best chance was to release before sf6 and t8, it's too late.

[@steffanhymer1285]

Not exactly. Because by the time it comes out SF6 will have been out for over a year and a half and Tekken will have a year under its belt. Meaning by that point it won't have any big name releases to draw attention away. It will do fine.

[@kinoshkiwa]

Not with that price tag... They're different kind of fighting game too. Tag fighter is not the same.

[@dat1faclesdude]

i hope it becomes successful but i don't think and i don't want for it to change anything about current big fgs! not every genre has to be huge multiplayer games, for example my fav fg tekken is most papular as a single player game! features like story mode, character endings,tekken ball,jukebox mode, ghost battle, costumization and .... is why i and many buy tekken! making it a F2P means that most of these features will be gone or will locked behind an expensive paywall. i have played the new tekken game for more than a 100 hours and i haven't touched online same as my friends. fgs are niche multiplayer games but games like tekken and mortal kombat aren't niche as a single player games amongs the casuals.

[@GodParticleZero]

I predict this game will bomb. I don't think casuals care for 2v2

[@DeadbeatShadows]

I'm a competitive FG player and even I don't care for 2v2. I know many people who just couldn't care less for tag fighters, especially with this game's apparent similarities to Blazblue Cross Tag Bettle, a 2v2 game that has gone down in infamy. Hope people enjoy it, but I'm pretty sure at least my local scene will barely touch it if at all.

[@DeadbeatShadows]

@@HighLanderPonyYT nah, i really won't be touching it. i do honestly hope y'all enjoy it, just not for me or anyone i know in my scene lol

[@luzekiel9343]

It won't lmao.

[@The_Rum]

You really underestimate a game thats free. Its far more reaching any current high profile fighters out there.

[@wawayoung290]

Let's come back to this comment when 2XKO releases.

[@lightvideovideo]

I'm not sure people actually think fighting games are that hard, Its more like most of people not even get to the point of deep into the game, so most of them seens clueless about it. hard games are popular asf, dark souls exploded when people realised the game was hard to beat.

[@jakecristina54]

Dark Souls is predictably 'hard' though. Dark Souls isn't popular for its PVP difficulty. It's the catharsis of self improvement and overcoming obstacles that you can reliably predict. The 'difficulty' of fighting games is in the competition and there is no finality.

[@yelowninja]

what most people don't understand that the biggest fighting games aren't big because of thier multiplayer aspect, they are papular as a single player game or a game to be played with friends and that why they are 70$! noone will play a MK or a Tekken without their single player content even if they were free to play. not every genre has to be huge multiplayer games. 2xko wont change anything,it will just grow the fg community if it is successful

[@jakecristina54]

A large part of the success of League of Legends is the ...... I'm kidding but it was tempting. I like the idea of easy entry to fighting games as it is hard to attract new players to established fighting game franchises. I don't consider party fighters like SSB and Multiversus to be 'true' fighting games. They are party games with strong fighting aspects. Which is partial to the differing appeal but also the dedication of the fan base. It's very rare that you get large hype AND dedicated fan bases. The competitive aspect of fighting games is inherent to any lifespan of said game, so it will always be a delicate balancing act between entry and challenge with fighting games. The 2v2 model of 2XKO seems insane to me. Maybe if it was 2v2 concurrent on screen but with a tag system, I think it's more likely to cause frustration, not alleviate it. Maybe that's just me. Anyways, as always, great content. Thanks!

[@El_Beat]

would you consider Rivals of aether a fighting game?

[@jakecristina54]

@@El_Beat It's practically a smash clone, so I would not. A great game though. If competitive violence is the only metric to be a 'fighting game' things like For Honor would count. I understand if people don't share my definition.

[@JagoShogun]

the fame of these games, or any game, depends on the culture. And this generation has a short attentionspan, too short, to lab, or do anything that isnt a shooter rush. It's a matter of zeitgeist.

[@ETG715]

I thought Tekken 8 changed fighting games forever this game is not going to change fighting games forever and also the name of the game is the most dumbest name ever

[@JAQm31ster]

Nah. Tekken 8 is still fully priced and is a traditional fighting game release. 2xKO does bring something that might bring significant change in the genre because its f2p. Other developers might follow suit but not all of them. Anyway, its all for the benefit of the FGC as it only grows its fanbase.

[@zinv08]

But yes this name is silly. Not sure if I'll ever get used to it. Hahaha

[@yasuke267]

Yes, in that SF6 and Tekken 8 made a standard for priced games. If you don't have content, your game is doomed now, which tbh is a good thing. They just made priced fgs actually be worth the price.

[@dat1faclesdude]

​@@HighLanderPonyYTyou don't know wtf are you talking about! tekken 8 is kicking ass right now and Who tf is VF?

[@ZenseiSmoke]

2xko's take on a free top play fighting game will change things if it works out well and it will also have the best netcode which would then put pressure on the competition

[@JagoShogun]

with how boring and samey league is, I doubt this game will be a mold breaker. It's a cash-in and lazy expansion of a vaunted IP.

[@JagoShogun]

It's everything thats lazy.@@HighLanderPonyYT

[@JagoShogun]

yous@@HighLanderPonyYT

[@mikebenny99]

League is one of the most popular e sports game for years. It came out in 2009 and still has a ginormous audience, what are you saying lol