Recently, it’s been announced that 2XKO will offer an offline mode where all champions are unlocked from the get-go. This feature is designed to support grassroots tournament organizers who are keen to run events for the game without the hassle of having to unlock champions on multiple accounts through grinding.
This revelation came out during a community tour in France earlier this month. During a group Q&A, Tom Cannon, the executive producer of 2XKO, initially hesitated before deciding to share the juicy details. “I see the struggle of setting up so many setups for a tournament. We don’t want it to be difficult. We want you to host tournaments without needing an internet connection or going through hoops to unlock champions,” Canon said with a light-hearted laugh.
“So here’s our plan: you can play this game offline,” he continued. “I hope that’s not too much of a spoiler! Tournament organizers will have the chance to access all champions without the need for grinding. Granted, you won’t get every piece of content—we can’t enable skins and all that—but at least you can run your tournament offline. That’s what makes us stand out.”
Cannon emphasized their commitment to grassroots tournaments and expressed interest in receiving feedback on any additional features that might be beneficial.
For those few dedicated to organizing fighting game events, this news is huge. An online-dependent fighting game could present significant issues in such settings—ensuring that the venue has a stable internet connection can be both challenging and expensive. Plus, not having to unlock characters on multiple accounts saves a lot of time and effort.
What remains unclear is how this mode will work with Riot Games’ Vanguard Anti-Cheat, which needs an always-on internet connection. Considering Vanguard starts up with your computer and has kernel-level access, this offline tournament mode might conflict with its purpose, especially if launched via the Riot Games launcher, like current 2XKO Alpha Lab tests.
We’ve reached out to Riot Games for comments on this matter but haven’t received a response yet.
Despite these questions, this new offline mode seems perfect for the hardcore community eager to attend real-world events and test their skills. But, as a part of my own commentary, it seems unlikely that this feature will be accessible to everyday players. Given that 2XKO is a free-to-play game, it needs to draw revenue somehow. It’s likely this offline mode will be reserved for certified tournament organizers.
We’ll stay tuned for more updates on this feature and others. What do you think of the offline mode? Share your thoughts below!
