2XKO Esports Circuit Kicks Off with 2026 Competitive Series

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

Riot Games has just announced that 2XKO will be kicking off the new year on a high note, with the 2026 Competitive Series delivering over 20 Riot-sponsored tournaments, including 5 Majors!

Through a stacked 2026 schedule, competitive-themed skin releases, and more, Riot Games looks ready to launch 2XKO esports to new heights.

2XKO 2026 Competitive Series: What Awaits?

Unlike games like League of Legends or VALORANT, the 2XKO esports scene will not be ran by Riot, at least not in its entirety. That does not mean, however, that Riot Games will not be involved.

In fact, the gaming giants have just announced that at least 20 Riot-sanctioned 2XKO tournaments are expected to take place in 2026 by the hand of community tournament organizers (TOs).

As a whole, this is being dubbed the 2XKO 2026 Competitive Series. A total of 15 Challenger events and 5 Majors will make up these 20 tournaments. Think of it this way:

Challengers are regional tournaments meant to create opportunities within each and every community.
Majors will be the biggest events in the 2XKO esports scene, where players and teams from all over the world are expected to compete for a bigger piece of the pie.

In order to better support TOs worldwide and the 2XKO esports scene as a whole, Riot is also launching Frame Perfect for Season 1 of 2026. This will be a competitive-themed skin that will be available in the in-game store throughout Season 1, with part of the proceeds going towards funding prize pools and covering productions costs for tournaments everywhere.

Frame Perfect will help fund the 2XKO esports scene. (Credit: Riot Games)

2XKO 2026 Esports Schedule

So far, Riot has already revealed the dates and locations for the first four events of 2026, including the first Major of the year. The 2026 Competitive Series schedule starts as follows:

Frosty Faustings — January 29-February 1 / Lombard, Illinois, US (Major)
Genesis X3 — February 13-15 / San Jose, California, US (Challenger)
Texas Showdown — March 27-29 / Houston, Texas, US (Challenger)
Viennality — March 28-29 / Vienna, Austria (Challenger)

For the Frosty Faustings Major, Duo Bounty will be in play, which means that the highest-placing duo at the tournament will earn an additional $2,500 for themselves.

Ready to put your 2XKO skills to the test? (Credit: Riot Games)

2XKO Arrives on Console!

As a final bit of 2XKO news, you'll be glad to know that Riot Games' new fighting game will be arriving on console as early as January 2026. Starting next year, 2XKO will be available on the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, bringing a whole new wave of players into the fold.

Note that 2XKO can already be added to your Xbox or PlayStation wishlist right now! If you're still wondering whether the game will be right for you, make sure to check out our 2XKO review to find out just exactly what it is you're missing.

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest 2XKO news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Riot Games

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