Horrible name, decent game

The following is a script for a corresponding yt short/tiktok. The video version can be watched here: 

YT: https://youtube.com/shorts/EP50jGskjeA?feature=share 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kreuzi44/video/7617912519037865238 


I have to admit, it feels kinda bad to rag on 2xKO in the wake of half its development team getting laid off, but I just can NOT get over how bad of a name “2xKO” actually is. In my opinion, it both fails at being catchy and being brief, despite and also because it is just 4 characters long. Let me explain:


Every game title needs to be easy to remember and repeat in some way, shape or form. This does not mean it can’t be long on paper, only that some version of it needs to be usable in casual conversation without interrupting the flow of it. You can’t always say “Super Smash Brothers Ultimate” in full, but you don’t have to. One of “Smash Bros Ultimate”, “Smash Ultimate”, “Ultimate” or even just “Ult” will get the job done; given the right context. Just for fun, here’s a few more examples:


THE KING OF FIGHTERS = KOF

STREET FIGHTER = SF

MORTAL KOMBAT = MK

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS = LOL (mostly written) “League” (spoken)


Specifying versions is also no problem. Be it spoken or in text, both a number and a subtitle can simply be added to or become the acronym:


STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 3 = SFA3 (written) “Alpha 3” (spoken in context)


2xKO finds itself in the uniquely awkward position of being both 4 characters short but also 4 syllables long, with no way of changing either. It demands abbreviation without having anything to abbreviate. “2x” sounds like an input description and is otherwise meaningless, and “KO” is just way too broad to be linked to a specific game. You cannot refer to it by anything less than its full name, yet saying its full name is longer and feels clunkier than literally any game I (and I’m willing to bet you too) could name. I’m in genuine disbelief at how bad this name is, down to the four different vowel sounds that force you to input an SPD with your mouth to pronounce them.

As it stands, the shortest way to effectively refer to.. this game is just calling it Project L. The working title has precisely none of the issues plaguing its replacement. At 8 characters in 3 syllables it feels shorter to say and it can easily be abbreviated as “PL”, which has precedent in fighting games through Project M and Project Plus being referred to as “PM” and “P+” respectively.

A crying shame it was replaced with possibly the worst thing they could have come up with.


That all being said, behind this disaster of a naming convention lies a genuinely good and intuitive fighting game with accessible, yet expressive gameplay I can only recommend. Despite the aforementioned layoffs, the game is still receiving its scheduled updates with new characters and balance changes being released, all at no additional cost, so feel free to try it out before Riot kills it.


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