2XKO is getting an early access-era competitive push built around grassroots organizers. Under a program called First Impact, Riot is sponsoring 22 community-led tournaments across the Americas, Europe, and Asia through the end of 2025. The series opened the same week 2XKO entered Early Access in October and kicked off onstage in Nice at Evo France.

What First Impact is (and why it exists)

Each event in First Impact is owned and operated by a local tournament organizer. Riot’s role is targeted: add support, increase visibility, and contribute to the prize pool. The stated goals are straightforward.

  • Support tournament organizers who are building the scene on the ground.
  • Create more meaningful prize opportunities for local players.

Duos are central to how 2XKO is meant to be played, and the format shows up in the prize structure: if a duo takes first place at a First Impact stop, that team earns an extra $2,500 on top of the event’s pot bonus. Winners also receive an exclusive “Local Legend” player title for their 2XKO account.

When and where to play (Oct–Dec 2025)

The calendar spans October 10 through December 13, mixing majors with regionally focused meetups and online brackets. Events cover in-person stops like Evo France, DreamHack Atlanta, First Attack, and Thaiger Uppercut alongside online competitions across EMEA, APAC, LATAM, and North America.

Dates Event Location
Oct 10–12 Evo France: 2 NICE KO by The MixUp Nice, France
Oct 19 DIY: Bonus Track New York, New York, United States
Oct 18 Delfino Maza KO Online (LATAM North)
Oct 19 IBgames First Impact #1 Online (EMEA)
Oct 25–26 First Attack San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
Oct 25 Set & Reset: First Impact #1 Online (EMEA)
Oct 25–26 Hades Club KO Arena Online (LATAM South)
Oct 31–Nov 2 DreamHack Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Oct 18; Oct 25; Nov 2 SOOP Super Tournament Online (APAC)
Nov 8–9 R.I.S.C. 2025 Los Angeles, California, United States
Nov 9 IBgames First Impact #2 Online (EMEA)
Nov 14–16 Battle Coliseum São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Nov 14–16 Midwest Mixfest Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Nov 15–16 INVATE APAC Cup Online (APAC)
Nov 15 Set & Reset: First Impact #2 Online (EMEA)
Nov 22 FGC Teamups Chicago, Illinois, United States
Nov 28–30 Thaiger Uppercut Bangkok, Thailand
Nov 29–30 Mindset Paris, France
Dec 6–7 TNS 2XKO Online (NA)
Dec 6 2XKO Korea Open Seoul, South Korea
Nov 8–9; Nov 23 2XKO Japan Knockout Tokyo, Japan
Dec 13 FlyQuest — 2XKO Christmas Clash Online (NA)

Event policies and rulesets vary by organizer. Some online brackets allow solo or duo sign-ups, run best‑of‑three sets with best‑of‑five finals, and waive entry fees; check each event’s page for specifics on format and registration windows.

Prize structure, titles, and the Duo Bounty

  • Pot bonuses: Riot contributes to the prize pool at each First Impact stop.
  • Duo Bounty: If a duo wins the tournament, that team earns an extra $2,500.
  • Account title: Event winners receive the “Local Legend” title in 2XKO.

These additions aim to reward local talent and make duo play visible onstage throughout the early access period.

Early signals from the first stop

Evo France in Nice set the competitive tone with a strong international field. French player Marwan “Wawa” Berthe took the first 2XKO trophy there, with Steve “Supernoon” Carbajal finishing second and Dominique “SonicFox” McLean third. It’s a snapshot of how established multi-game competitors are approaching 2XKO’s team-driven matchups, and a preview of what later stops could look like as more regions get reps.

What this means for 2026

First Impact is deliberately scoped as an early access testbed. Riot is gathering feedback from partnered organizers and players this fall and will use those learnings to shape its 2026 plans. The calendar is fixed for 2025; no additional First Impact events are being added right now.

Interested in running a 2XKO tournament?

If you’re planning a community event, start with the official Community Competition Guidelines on the 2XKO site, which outline requirements and best practices for organizers. Not every community tournament is part of First Impact, but the same baseline guidance applies to running an event well.

Read the Community Competition Guidelines

The short version: First Impact gives 2XKO a real competitive calendar in its first months, and it keeps the spotlight on the people who already run weeklies, locals, and regional majors. If you want in, there’s likely a bracket near your time zone before the year is out.