Vi Joins 2XKO: Arcane Brawler Punches Into Riot’s Fighting Game Just Before Final Beta

In classic Riot style, 2XKO just dropped a new fighter reveal. Vi, the electric enforcer from Arcane, is stepping into the ring and shaking up the roster ahead of the final beta.

Riot Games is keeping up the momentum with 2XKO, its highly anticipated assist-based fighting game, and it’s now confirmed: Vi, the fan-favourite bruiser from Arcane, is officially joining the roster as the eighth playable character. This announcement landed alongside the EVO 2025 showcase and has been circulating across the fighting game and League of Legends communities since 22 July 2025.

For fans of Arcane or anyone who’s loved Vi since the early days of Summoner’s Rift, this is big. Her presence makes perfect thematic sense, as the game’s character lineup leans heavily into the League universe, featuring other familiar faces like Ahri, Darius, Illaoi, and Ekko.

Vi brings her punch-heavy, brawler-style combat and trademark Hextech gauntlets to the 2XKO arena, and in the short gameplay teaser shown at EVO, she really showed off what Riot calls her “trademark rushdown and grapple” play. From brutal up-close combos to heavy movement pressure, she’s made for players who enjoy making a statement with every strike.

Final Beta kicks off this September

This announcement of Vi’s reveal isn’t just a character drop; it ties into a much bigger push: the final open beta for 2XKO rolls out this September, promising expanded options for fighters and mechanics tweaks following previous player feedback.

The tempo and timing of the open beta are crucial. Riot has played a long game with 2XKO (previously codenamed Project L), keeping development hands-on rather than rushing for a release window. According to what has been revealed so far, the focus remains on polished mechanics, competitive depth, and delivering a game that offers high-skill ceilings while staying accessible.

With Vi’s reveal, we now have a full look at eight fighters ready for beta play around, which training regimes, competitive predictions, and tier list debates are already forming. Those who’ve seen the Arcane version of Vi will appreciate that her move set draws heavily from her animated power, but designers haven’t skimped on her classic League identity either.

What makes Vi different?

From the early reveal snippet, we already get an idea of Vi’s combat archetype. She’s fast, heavy on damage, and excels at closing down space rapidly. Dash cancels, wall slams, and some flashy tag-combos make her an ideal frontrunner for aggressive team builds. Since 2XKO uses a tag-team model, players will likely pair Vi with zoning or setup characters to compensate for her short range.

This reveal also marks an interesting development in the direction of 2XKO’s cast. Riot could have leaned into obscure champions or newer additions… but they’ve clearly favoured fighters with cross-media visibility. All signs point toward 2XKO leveraging the success of Netflix’s Arcane to draw in players who may not typically invest in fighting games. This is a clever and calculated decision.

Expect Vi to be a core part of Riot’s broader stretch into competitive console and PC gaming, further solidifying 2XKO as a serious contender in the FGC (Fighting Game Community). For anyone wondering, 2XKO is still confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. And while the final release date hasn’t been locked in just yet, Riot’s approach strongly indicates that we’ll see a launch window stabilising in mid-to-late 2026.

Fans eager to jump into the fray with Vi (or test the now-eight roster) won’t have too long to wait. The upcoming beta promises skill tweaks, netcode improvements, and likely some further fighter reveals. But for now, Vi adds a punch of personality and ferocity to an already-exciting lineup. Welcome to the ring, Piltover’s finest.