Akali header art by Lambsplash (Duy An)

Welcome back to the Weekend Warmup. Akali teleported into 2XKO just two days ago, and we’ve already seen a huge outpouring of love and creativity from the FGC. I have been mixed several times since I started writing this paragraph.

These creators of all types have already mastered the art of the kunai (or pencil, or buttons) and brought Akali to life through beautiful works of art in and out of game. Check ‘em out, throw ‘em a follow, and stay tuned for an update on Patch 1.1.5 below.

Lambsplash (Duy An)

Source: https://x.com/Lambsplash/status/2040167709866864992 

 Wavechan

Source: https://x.com/ireneylee/status/2040144553370624489 

 Andi_Wandi_Rana

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWxjm7-j3Y-/  

goku_kennnn

Source: https://x.com/goku_kennnn/status/2041896525698408924/ 

astrodart

Source: https://x.com/astrodid/status/2042011512156377268 

Props to everyone who creates anything for 2XKO. Appreciate y’all always.

Game UpdatesPatch 1.1.5 early reactions

We’re still early, but we’ve got some initial reads on how 1.1.5 is landing. Passing the keyboard to balance lead, Yohosie, to share more:

Hey. I’m Yohosie, one of the big dorks that balances the game. We’re fresh off a balance patch that changes foundational aspects of 2XKO, and want to discuss how this impacts future plans.

Future plans.

We’re going to be less focused on champion changes in the next few patches, and more focused on core rules and quality-of-life updates. Champions do not need a page of updates, and we can focus on high-impact items. This is not out of caution, but out of necessity. Players deserve a stable experience, and champions now have 1 or 2 moves that could use an adjustment, and not a large list of recovery, hitstun, and active frame adjustments.

We also have another Fuse coming, which might get wild.

Core system changes

Our core systems needed an update to make the game more engaging in neutral and on offense/defense, and with Handshake Tag dominating on offense (post-freestyle-tag), defense (pushblock parry), and neutral (the entire game), it was a clear linchpin that had to be addressed.

This change (alongside meter and Break adjustments) has a massive impact on balance, and we’re excited to see if this leads to a healthier game. Because of this, we’re going to be resting for a patch to see how these core rules adjustments shake out the meta. That doesn’t mean there won’t be changes in our next patch, but we don’t expect them to significantly alter the meta. It’s important we proceed with caution to ensure we’re not making shotcalls in advance that end up widening the tiers once the meta stabilizes.

As an example, if we make a call today that Blitzcrank is weak and needs buffs, but they end up being the best champion in the game after this patch has settled, buffing them would have a dramatic impact on the meta and ruin the competitive experience. You can apply this to your most difficult match-up or your favorite main – making change before observing the impact could lead to negative outcomes.

Speaking of the meta, we’re pretty happy with current champion representation. Players feel like they are able to play their favorite champions and not be at an overwhelming disadvantage. That’s a big improvement from where we were, and we’re excited to see what players discover in 1.1.5.

Fuses

We’re aware that Freestyle is quite strong. We attempted harsh adjustments internally to attempt to bring it in-line, but every change we’ve tried ended up making the Fuse less fun, which means that many players would have a less enjoyable time with our game. Any change we make must be fun, feel organic, and stay true to the fantasy of Freestyle – if we make any change at all. Handshake Tag being -3 is a step in the right direction, and we’ll see how it shakes out.

How we make decisions

When making decisions, we use 3 primary tools: eyes, hands, and data.

Eyes: We watch game footage to analyze how champs are performing. Specifically, we watch tournament footage and in-game matches over fighting game streams, as it allows us to form our own opinions on balance.Hands: We grind games to figure out what is unfun to fight, and what is just powerful – and that’s a massive difference. If something is good, that doesn’t mean that we need to change it. But if fighting something is repetitive and uninteractive, it deserves to be changed for the health of the game.Data: We look at the data to determine if any champion has a surprisingly high Pick Rate or Win Rate. Specifically, Pick Rate is our most important metric, as at the highest levels of play, individual player performance can impact win rates. If Ekko is seen in 40% of matches (it has never gotten this high) it implies that he is a must-pick champion, even if Ekko has a 50% win rate. Data also lets us have insights into how new players are engaging with our champions and fuses so we can ensure they’re having a balanced experience on their path to mastery.

There’s more nuance here, but we can summarize our balance philosophy as if something is ass, just change it. We can’t change everything immediately, and getting the right solution is important, but solving problems and listening is how we deliver a better experience for all of you.

That’s all from me. Thanks for playin’.

-yohosie

2026 Preview

In case you missed it, we dropped a preview of our next few releases (timing subject to change) on our next steps. Enjoy theorycrafting on what a new Fuse could be!

Upcoming DatesApr 9: Spirit Blossom event beginsApr 9: Spirit Blossom Megabundle + skin sets availableApr 9: Run it Back Megabundles + skin sets available Apr 21: LVL UP EXPO begins (Las Vegas)Closing Thoughts

Banger week for fighting games. To all the Invincible VS and Guilty Gear Strive enjoyers, have a great time testing the new stuff. For Akali players, meet me in the lobby if you want a free win. I am but a humble Juggernaut Blitzcrank player, don’t mix me I’ll die. 

But overall, we might be back? I feel prosperity in the air. A sixth champion is on the roadmap, Evo Japan is around the corner (the team is cooking a really dope hype film, I’m excited), Twitch Rivals yesterday was a banger, and there’s lots more coming that we’re excited to see y’all dive into. Keep the feedback coming, and for those of you that have been with us for the last few years, thank you—you have more impact that you’ll ever know. Back to it.

—@draggles