Summary
There has been a flurry of news surrounding Riot Games’League of LegendsIP as of late.Arcane’s second season was announced with a November 2024 premiere date, and the fighting game2XKOhas announced the musclebound Braum as a new fighter as its Alpha Lab playtest rapidly approaches. Even if someone just has a passing interest inLeague of Legends' character designs, there’s still something out there for them to enjoy.Arcaneand2XKO, back when it was known asProject L, have garnered lots of attention over the years, and remain the shining highlights of Riot’s efforts to diversifyLoL’s brand.
Not all is well in the wider world ofLeague of Legendsprojects, however. In surprising news, a rumor has revealed that a second Riot Games fighting game was in production, but has already been canceled. Allegedly a platform fighter codenamedPool Party, this could have contributed to the ongoinggolden age of fighting games alongside the more traditional2XKO, but the project was deemed too risky to continue. The perceived failure ofMultiVersus, both in its sudden disappearance and controversial return, was cited as the reason for this move, and this has suddenly heaped a lot more pressure on2XKOto succeed.
Riot’s Canceled “Pool Party” Game Explained
While2XKOhas years of candid trailers available, little is known aboutPool Party. According to current and former Riot employees speaking to Mikhail Klimentoc, it was anotherLeague of Legendsfighter meant toattractSuper Smash Bros. Meleecompetitors, though more casual elements were introduced over time.Pool Party’s cancelation abruptly came right afterMultiVersus’ re-launch in late May 2024, with most of the 70–80 developers shuffling back into Riot’s staff. Shattered executive confidence in the premise was to blame, although their reasoning is easier to see than one might expect.
Why An Unproven Fighting Game Is A Risky Release
It’s surprising that two different fighting game projects were in development at Riot Games simultaneously, largely due to the inherent risk involved in the genre.MultiVersus’ own Warner Bros. Interactive published NetherRealm Studios’InjusticeandMortal Kombattitles to massive success, and it couldn’t make a platform fighter work even afterSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatehad stepped downas the genre’s face. Fighting games are typically dominated by senior series, and if it weren’t for the veteran players tempered by them, Riot likely wouldn’t be working on any fighting games in the first place.
Why 2XKO Can Shoulder The Weight Of Being Riot’s Only Fighting Game
Tom and Tony Cannon are the founders of Radiant Entertainment, the studio behind2XKO, but that’s not all. Rollback netcode’s early GGPO middleware and the world-famous EVO tournament series were also created by this sibling team, making them two of the biggest names to know in the North American fighting game community. After cutting their teeth on a technical alpha for the simple-input fighterRising Thunder, Radiant Entertainment was acquired by Riot Games in 2016 to start work on aLeague of Legendsspin-off. The seniority of the team only grew as it gained more big-name staff under Riot, but that translated to momentum for it alone.
2XKO Is Looking Good, But Can’t Afford To Fail Now
Age is now2XKO’s greatest strength, but that also means it needs to be worth the near-decade of investments that went into it. Radiant has had plenty of time to plot out the exact 2v2 tag fighter it wants2XKOto be, and it still has time to make everything perfect before the game’s 2025 launch. There’s no other contemporary disastersin2XKO’s genre space, crowded as it’s getting, and between that and the massive time and budget it’s had, it’s almost certain that2XKOwill come out. It has a confident outlook, but with confirmation that it’s truly alone as Riot’s flagship fighting game,2XKOneeds to stick its landing.
