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Yes. 2XKO is free to download and play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. You do not have to buy champions or pay for access to the fighting system. Riot Games changed the economy in 2026: KO Point purchases stopped on August 20, Patch 1.3.1 removed KO Points, Champion Tokens, Battle Passes, seasons and Ranked, and every champion became unlocked for all players. Optional spending is now focused on digital cosmetics, including an Ultimate Bundle listed at $39.99, £33.99 or €39.99.
Riot says online servers will remain available after active development ends in December 2026, and offline play is unaffected. The details below describe Riot’s August 2026 announcement and 2026 support FAQ; prices and bundle contents can change, so confirm the live in-game store before buying.
What “free to play” means in 2XKO
Free-to-play status covers the core game, not merely a trial. Riot says 2XKO remains free to download on all three supported platform families, and the 2026 transition unlocks the complete champion roster instead of asking players to purchase characters individually.
| Platform | Download cost | Gameplay access |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Free | All champions are unlocked under Patch 1.3.1; no champion purchase is required. |
| PlayStation 5 | Free | All champions are unlocked under Patch 1.3.1; no champion purchase is required. |
| Xbox Series X|S | Free | All champions are unlocked under Patch 1.3.1; no champion purchase is required. |
That means a new player can download the game, select any available fighter and play without buying a starter pack, currency or season pass. The free download does not mean Riot has promised indefinite development: the company’s current plan is to finish active development in December 2026 while keeping the service and offline mode available.
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What changed on August 20, 2026
Riot’s August 2026 development announcement marked a permanent change from the original live-service model. On August 20, Riot disabled the ability to purchase KO Points, its premium currency. The support FAQ describes the follow-up transition in Patch 1.3.1.
- KO Points were removed from the economy.
- Champion Tokens were removed.
- Battle Passes were removed.
- Season-based progression was removed.
- Ranked was removed.
- All champions were unlocked for every player.
Riot says the game will continue to receive content and feature improvements through the rest of 2026, including Lux and Samira. The team’s stated target is a final bug-fix pass in December. Riot also says this is its current plan and may be adjusted.
Do you have to pay to unlock champions?
No. Champion access is no longer a monetization gate. Patch 1.3.1 unlocks the roster for all players, so there is no remaining Champion Token grind and no champion price to compare between characters.
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What can you still buy?
Credits for selected cosmetics
Riot’s current FAQ says Credits remain usable for some avatar and profile items, stages and selected chromas. The FAQ does not describe Credits as a way to unlock champions, Ranked access or Battle Pass levels. Because KO Points and Champion Tokens were removed, a purchase prompt that refers to either currency is an old explanation or an outdated screen rather than a current requirement.
The Ultimate Bundle
The main paid collection is the Ultimate Bundle. Riot describes it as a digital cosmetics package containing nearly all released finishers, skins, skin chromas and taunts for every champion, with coverage extending through Lux and Samira after Samira’s release. Riot’s FAQ says the bundle was scheduled for an October update adding the remaining skins and cosmetics.
| Region | Listed price | What the price represents |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $39.99 | One digital in-game cosmetics bundle; not a charge for the game or champion access. |
| United Kingdom | £33.99 | One digital in-game cosmetics bundle; not a charge for the game or champion access. |
| Euro pricing | €39.99 | One digital in-game cosmetics bundle; not a charge for the game or champion access. |
“Nearly all” does not mean every cosmetic ever made is guaranteed in every version at every moment. Riot can change the package, and its FAQ specifically noted an October content update. Treat the listed price and contents as time-sensitive store information rather than a permanent entitlement to future releases.
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The original personalization plan helps explain the kinds of items that may appear in the current collection, although its currency and progression rules have been superseded. Riot’s earlier explainer listed:
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- 🎮 Collector's Item: Allows for CO/VS functionality for co-op action (cable included). CO/VS multiplayer technology allows two Pocket Players to be linked together for cooperative gameplay using the included CO/VS cable
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- High Resolution: This pocket-sized game features a high-resolution 2.8-inch full-color vertical display.
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- Champion skins and color variants, known as chromas.
- Stages.
- Avatar accessories.
- Stickers and emotes.
- Taunts.
- Finishers.
- Player cards.
- Titles.
Under the current FAQ, Credits still cover some avatar and profile items, stages and selected chromas. The Ultimate Bundle is the broad collection for finishers, skins, chromas and taunts. The documentation does not say that every avatar, card, title or other profile item is included in that bundle, so do not assume coverage beyond the categories Riot names.
What happened to the old Battle Pass economy?
Older guides may describe a free Battle Pass track, a paid Battle Pass track, seasonal missions and premium KO Point purchases. Those systems belonged to the pre-transition design. Patch 1.3.1 removes Battle Passes and seasons entirely, so there is no current free-versus-paid pass decision and no seasonal track to complete.
| System from the original plan | Status after Patch 1.3.1 |
|---|---|
| KO Points | Removed; purchases disabled August 20, 2026. |
| Champion Tokens | Removed; champions are unlocked for everyone. |
| Battle Passes | Removed. |
| Seasons | Removed. |
| Ranked | Removed. |
| Credits | Still usable for some listed cosmetic and profile items. |
Consequently, articles that recommend saving KO Points, buying a Battle Pass or grinding Champion Tokens are describing an obsolete economy, not a purchase you can make today.
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How much must a new player spend?
The minimum required spend is zero. Downloading the game, accessing the champions and playing the core modes do not require the Ultimate Bundle or any other documented purchase.
There are two practical spending choices:
- Spend nothing: You receive the free game and the unlocked champion roster. You can use the cosmetic options that remain available through Credits, subject to Riot’s item-by-item rules.
- Buy the Ultimate Bundle: You pay the regional price shown in the table for the large digital collection of released skins, finishers, chromas and taunts. This is a convenience and collection purchase, not a gameplay unlock.
Riot has not documented a second current monetization plan for players to select. The meaningful comparison is free gameplay access versus optional cosmetic spending.
Refunds for KO Points and Starter Editions
Riot announced refunds for eligible KO Point and Starter Edition purchases made before August 20, 2026. The support FAQ gives December 7, 2026 as the general request deadline, while warning that regional exceptions may apply.
Refund handling depends on the platform and region. A console purchase, PC purchase and region-specific payment method can follow different instructions, so do not assume that one universal form, deadline or automatic-credit rule applies. Use Riot’s support process for the account’s actual platform and location, and keep the original transaction information available.
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Riot says online servers will remain online beyond 2026 to support online play, and offline play is unaffected. At the same time, active development is scheduled to end in December 2026. Riot says it plans to deliver the remaining 2026 content, including Lux and Samira, and complete a final bug-fix pass before the evergreen transition. Its announcement says no future patches are planned after that transition.
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Those statements answer two different questions: the game is intended to remain playable, but players should not expect a normal cadence of new seasons, Ranked updates or post-December feature patches. Because Riot describes the timeline as its current plan, future operational decisions could change it.
What the original monetization plan looked like
Before the 2026 transition, Riot described three currencies. Credits could be earned from missions, tutorials, Combo Trials and matches. Champion Tokens could come from tutorials or Starter Editions. KO Points were purchased with real money. Some cosmetics could be unlocked with Credits or bought with KO Points.
That earlier model also included paid bundles, a free and paid Battle Pass track and several champion-unlock routes. It is useful context when reading older videos or forum posts, but it is not a current buying guide: KO Points, Champion Tokens, Battle Passes and seasons are gone, and champions are now unlocked.
Common purchase mistakes to avoid
- Buying currency from an old guide: KO Point purchases were disabled on August 20, 2026.
- Expecting a champion grind: Patch 1.3.1 unlocked the roster for all players.
- Assuming every cosmetic is in the bundle: Riot says “nearly all” and names specific categories; verify the item list in the store.
- Treating the price as permanent: $39.99, £33.99 and €39.99 are the FAQ’s listed regional prices and may change with store updates.
- Using the wrong refund deadline: December 7, 2026 is the general date in the FAQ, but regional exceptions and platform procedures can differ.
- Confusing continued servers with continued development: Riot plans to keep online play available while ending active development in December 2026.
Bottom line for players
2XKO is free to play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the 2026 transition makes all champions available without payment. The current economy is a much smaller cosmetic system: Credits cover some listed profile and customization items, while the Ultimate Bundle offers nearly all released skins, chromas, finishers and taunts for the stated regional price. KO Points, Champion Tokens, Battle Passes, seasons and Ranked are no longer part of the live model. You can therefore start playing at no cost and only spend money if collecting cosmetics is worth it to you.
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