Welcome back to the Weekend Warmup.

2XKO’s biggest update yet went live on Tuesday. If you missed it, we’ve got two new champions, a PVE game mode, and Pool Party skins, all in-game right now. 

To celebrate, we’re taking this Weekend Warmup to dive into the design considerations for this dual champion launch. Here’s a look at how the 2XKO design team created the versions of Senna and Thresh that you’ll see in patch 1.2.3.

From Summoner’s Rift to 2XKO

Written by Julia Shen

Taking any character from League of Legends to 2XKO is a challenge. Champions start with a pre-established personality, player fantasy, and source of power that millions of players already love. Then, we recreate them for a totally different genre while staying true to their identity.

That said, fighting game characters need many more abilities and attacks than their MOBA version, and they’re seen from a much more zoomed-in perspective. These differences become our design team’s space to come up with new ideas. 

For example: Senna doesn’t have any melee attacks in League, but 2XKO champions need at least nine across their normals. With that in mind, how would Senna hit people up close, 2D fighting game style? This type of question comes up over and over again as a champion is made. 

Senna’s Transformations

Senna’s existing design for League is relatively complex. She mostly shoots beams of light, but she’s also got control over the Black Mist, a manifestation of undead power. The team had to capture both aspects, and there were so many possibilities for representing that in 2XKO. As a woman of many talents, Senna went through many iterations before she became who you see today.

Early Senna stub animation and VFX

Senna’s original 2XKO design was more centered around beam attacks and her relic cannon. Her Black Mist powers augmented her zoning abilities. When the team was playing with that version, they started to wonder if light and darkness could have a more equal presence in her kit. In League, Senna’s E (Curse of the Black Mist) can fully transform her and her allies into speedy, shadowy wraiths. With those thoughts in mind, Wraith form was born.

After adding an install in the mix, the team’s next task was to make sure that one form didn’t outshine the other. Wraith form used to last much longer, and it was harder to switch out of. Ultimately, switching fluidly between two forms felt more exciting and thematic for Senna.

Early iteration of Wraith form

That said, the forms needed completely distinct strengths. They’re designed to be total opposites, embodying the contrast between Senna’s two powers. Base form Senna leans on her relic cannon to shoot massive beams of light that poke down the enemy, while Wraith form lets her rush them down with superior mobility. Senna also gains a triangle jump in Wraith form, which is a tag fighter mechanic that our roster was missing. This felt really at home in Wraith form, where it’s only available for a limited amount of time.

Early concept for Senna’s Super Assist

Senna has one last mechanic that’s unique among the 2X roster: if her Super Assist hits her teammate, it heals them for a small amount. This takes inspiration from the supportive capabilities of her Q (Piercing Darkness) in League. Originally, the Super Assist granted super armor to allies, which was closer to her MOBA ultimate (Dawning Shadow). That turned out to be a bit too strong, so it was changed to a heal.

Since Senna has two completely unique kits—each with new effects, visuals, and sound—it took twice as long to bring her to the finish line. We hope you’ll show us your best form-switching combos.

Thresh’s Tools for Torment

While Senna has a unique duality to her, Thresh has one, crystal-clear theme: he’s a bad guy. The team was excited to bring one of the few straight-up villains in League to life, and his nefarious energy is new for the 2X roster as well.

Early Thresh S2 Super gameplay

From the beginning, Thresh’s kit was built around two major set pieces: the hook and the lantern. Both were equally important for selling the fantasy of the Chain Warden, and they came with big technical challenges.

The hook is the most satisfying part of Thresh’s League kit—there’s nothing like landing that skillshot on an enemy champ. For Thresh’s 2XKO design, the team wanted the hook to show that same control over his opponent. Death Sentence lets Thresh reposition enemies on the screen, forming the base of his combo theory. 

Thresh has a lot of chain-and-hook moves, and bringing them to life was a massive undertaking. Animators had to meticulously tweak keyframes for each attack to keep the hook consistent and readable—plus, they all had to work for each Thresh skin. Thresh uses advanced rigging setups that no other champ has had before, created by the team’s technical artists.

Thresh’s chain rig

With the chains appropriately forged, the lantern was the next design element to solve. In League, the lantern cements Thresh’s playmaker identity, where he can turn the tide of a fight by bringing in an unexpected ally. In 2XKO, if the hook is about command over the opponent, then the lantern is about command over Thresh’s teammate. Lantern Tag lets his duo partner appear at the lantern’s position while it’s onscreen. Thresh’s team can use this for unexpected offense, escaping while defending, or repositioning for any other wicked scheme.

Early Lantern Tag gameplay

The Thresh pod’s engineers designed brand-new tech to make 2XKO’s tag systems work at new locations, unlocking the lantern’s power. In an early version of Thresh, Assist attacks also spawned from its location. This was cool in theory, but it ended up creating gameplay inconsistencies and play patterns that made Thresh feel disconnected from his teammate. Thresh’s kit really came to life when this system was replaced with Lantern Tag, which lets his ally join in on his evil plans—truly 2XKO’s version of “click the ****ing lantern.” 

Thresh’s 2XKO kit also brings something completely new for the champion. With down S2, he throws out The Wretch (aka Henry), a ghoul that helps him control space on the ground and in the air. Thresh doesn’t have a move like this in League, but it leans into his established identity as a sadistic tormenter, with total control over the undead in his lantern. Since 2XKO’s moves can be much more detailed than their League counterparts, we had the chance to show Thresh crushing one poor, cute soul.

Thanks to the team’s technical problem-solving skills, each of Thresh’s tools has been fully realized for causing mental anguish. Try them out yourself!

Senna and Thresh are playable now in 2XKO. You can try each champ in Training mode, or get them from the store to play them in any lobby. They’re also sharing a Champion Recruitment Event, so you can unlock them both for free by completing missions in the first four weeks of the patch. 

Don’t be afraid of the dark, and let us know what you’re labbing.

Thanks to James Creavalle, Alex Jaffe, Caroline Montano, Daniel “Clockw0rk” Maniago, Steve Bankert, Peter “Combo Fiend” Rosas, and Dawn “Yohosie” Hosie for their work bringing Senna and Thresh’s game design to life.

Local Spotlight

SoCal Colosseum Clash

From the organisers: “SoCal Colosseum is the longest running active weekly FGC tournament series in all of Southern California! We host weekly events under the same name every Friday, with the exception of one Saturday a month, where we host our larger monthly event, titled SoCal Colosseum Clash. SoCal Colosseum was founded in 2023 by enthusiastic members from all parts of the FGC. We strive to be a place where everyone can come through and game at the end of a long work/school week, as well as be the place where these gamers can get better with each set they play! As far as 2XKO goes, we have been hosting events for it as far back as the first Alpha Lab! We were the first local in SoCal to host 2XKO, and we hope to continue to run 2XKO each and every week!”

Sign up for SoCal Colosseum Clash #31 here.

Reminder: Top-placing 2XKO players will also take home Chipotle Free Entrée cards!

Upcoming Dates

• June 8-19: Sajam Slam
• June 13-14: The MIXUP 2026 (2XKO Challenger Event)

Closing Thoughts

I don’t think the rollout to Patch 1.2.3 could have gone better. The love from the FGC was felt by all of us and we’re grateful for all the time and energy you’ve put into playing and watching 2XKO. Also, basically nothing leaked, which ruled. I’ve been enjoying perfecting my ludicrous builds in The Climb and showing my League-playing friends all the cameos in the Kiramman Yacht stages. It’s been a blast to see what folks are already doing with Thresh and Senna. 

But also, what a couple weeks for fighting game news overall! A new Tōkon team? Avatar updates? Virtua Fighter unveiled? Tifa in Street Fighter?! Whatever subgenre you like, there’s probably something out there for you, so go sample those delights. See me on The Climb trying to make Open Cancel Blitzcrank work. Until next time.

—@draggles