2XKO Alpha Lab 2 Introduces Ranked Lobbies and New Features, but European Players Face a Delay

A fresh update video for 2XKO just dropped, highlighting what to expect from the game’s second Alpha Lab test. Among other things, we’re introduced to two intriguing new fuses: Juggernaut and Sidekick. Plus, there are ranked lobbies, champion mastery, and some gameplay tweaks you won’t want to miss. Mark your calendars for April 18-20 if you’re in Canada, the USA, or Brazil. Sorry to everyone else—hopefully, your turn comes soon.

Jinx is making a debut during this test, available for public play for the first time. This addition brings the character roster up to seven as we inch closer to the game’s launch later this year. Tom Cannon mentioned that this smaller-scale test was crucial to stay on schedule, but rest assured, more tests are lined up for the future.

Now, let’s dive into what’s new. First, there’s the Sidekick Fuse. Official details emerged last month thanks to Shaun Rivera, but now we’ve got the full scoop. Sidekick stops your point and back-up champions from switching. It boosts your point champion’s health and defense when they drop below 30% HP. With Sidekick, you also get to double down on chaining supers and gain immediate access to super assist and fury break at the start of each round.

Plus, Sidekick introduces a cool feature for those playing the support role: time-pressed button interactions with enemy attacks that minimize damage. It’s a neat trick that should keep support players engaged even when they’re not leading the charge.

Then, there’s Juggernaut, a different beast of a Fuse. It eliminates interaction with secondary characters, focusing solely on one champion. Like Sidekick, it gives health and defense boosts below 30% HP and provides fury break right from the round’s start. It cranks things up with unique abilities like Eject, forcing your opponent to switch out their champion. You also get a solo version of Double Down, setting you up to pull off back-to-back supers independently. This Fuse is aimed at those still wrapping their heads around juggling multiple champions. Honestly, after my struggle during Alpha Lab 1, I’m eager to see how Juggernaut changes things!

We also see Fury Break debut as a universal mechanic within these new fuses, replacing the retired Fury Fuse. Now every player can trigger Fury Break when their champion gets knocked out. This confers a 25% boost to damage and damage reduction. Dub this feature an exciting wrinkle, noting that if you dash-cancel normal or special attacks using Fury Break, the buff duration decreases by five seconds.

Similarly, Pulse Combo Fuse is out, replaced by an optional setting for auto combos during champion select. Newcomers can still string auto combos while exploring other fuses. Speaking of new features, we now have Ranked Lobbies with a ranking system inspired by League of Legends. It’s designed to help players match with others of equal skill levels. In the previous Alpha Lab, players of all calibers were lumped together, and this should alleviate mismatches with the more seasoned players.

In terms of gameplay changes, say goodbye to Last Stand in favor of super assists. You’ll still use assists even when a champion’s knocked out, and end combos with limit strike enders for chiseled bonuses such as increased damage or meter acquisition. These are just a few of the tweaks—more can be discovered in the dev update post.

And that’s just the start! The control scheme has been revamped for user-friendliness, visual clarity got a buff, and both public and private lobbies are improved. We’ve also got new cosmetics on board. Besides a fresh battle pass, there’s an in-game store opening, with currency spent on a wide array of cosmetics and finishers, including the trendy Pool Party skins for Ahri, Darius, and Jinx.

Lastly, Mastery rewards are on the table, offering cosmetics for conquering select champion missions. Think Avatar clothing, taunts, stickers, and mastery reward chromas. Ready, set, earn!

It feels great that 2XKO is making a return, albeit North and South Americans have got the unfair advantage this time around. I am truly fascinated to see how players respond to the game’s gamut of changes. Particularly, these new Fuses reel in my curiosity—they seem designed to cater to newcomers in vastly divergent strategies. I can’t wait to find out if these additions entice those new to fighting games to stay engaged post-Alpha Lab.

What are your thoughts? Eager for next month’s trial run? Share your excitement with us below!