Welcome back to the Weekend Warmup. Before diving into the exciting new PVE content, we want to address the console crashing issues many players have experienced. The team has identified the root cause—linked to the sheer volume of content added recently—but it's a systemic problem that requires a comprehensive fix. A patch is targeted for July, and we appreciate your patience as we work on a solution.

The Climb: A New PVE Experience

In the meantime, 2XKO's new PVE mode, The Climb, is live on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players have been diving into randomly-augmented runs, providing valuable feedback. We sat down with design director Brad 'Bradido' Merritt and product lead Alison 'Jaredan' Hawkes to explore how this mode came to life.

Since launch, 2XKO has had a lightweight PVE mode called Bot Beatdown, but players wanted more progression, unlocks, and story. The Climb was built in just a few months on top of a prototype Survival mode from the development backlog. It's a first attempt at blending roguelike deckbuilder elements with fighting game mechanics, and the team acknowledges there's plenty of room for future updates.

Design Philosophy: Expression and Chaos

Bradido emphasizes that The Climb isn't meant to replace a standard Arcade mode. Instead, it's a playground for breaking the game's rules. 'The Climb is about expression,' he says. 'We wanted to create a mode where players could explore new builds, discover unexpected combinations, and experience how augments can reshape a champ's gameplay. Some runs might turn your main into something completely different. Others might double down on the strengths you already love.'

This approach opens up possibilities for all skill levels. For high-level players, difficulty tiers challenge them to find new ways around tough bots. For newcomers, The Climb offers a low-pressure environment to learn matchups, test tag synergies, and get comfortable with core combat without the stress of ranked points.

Development Surprises and Challenges

Developing The Climb presented unique challenges. The team aimed to balance rewarding skill with the chaotic fun of deckbuilder games like Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra's Path of Champions, or League of Legends' ARAM Mayhem. Some features were surprisingly difficult, while others came together quickly.

An augment idea for Vi to mash her Crater Maker Super repeatedly proved too complex due to animation system limitations.

A game-changing augment like Assists coming out of Thresh's lantern was implemented in minutes, as the Thresh team had already experimented with it—though it was deemed too powerful for base gameplay.

Engineers played a key role in identifying feasible ideas, combining deep system knowledge with a love for fighting games and roguelike deckbuilders.

Jaredan notes that the biggest challenge wasn't generating ideas but deciding what to save for later. 'Some of our favorite moments during development came from builds and interactions that became delightfully chaotic in ways even we didn't predict,' she explains. 'We can't wait to see the combinations players uncover.'

Future Plans and Community Engagement

The team is already cooking up new node types, tougher enemy encounters, and weirder augment combinations. They're also exploring how to add more personality and color through champion interactions. 'We wanted to get The Climb into players' hands early so we could learn what resonates most and continue evolving the experience,' says Jaredan. 'This initial release is just the first node on our team's ascent.'

Additionally, the Weekend Warmup highlights the Siouxper Battle Opera local tournament in Sioux Falls, SD, which has been running weeklies and monthlies for two years. Top-placing 2XKO players will earn Chipotle Free Entrée cards. Upcoming dates include the Sajam Slam finals on June 19, Supernoon's Pre-Evo Bootcamp from June 20-24, and Evo 2026 from June 26-28, where 2XKO will be a major event.

Final Thoughts

The Weekend Warmup acknowledges the end of This Week in Destiny, expressing gratitude to its legacy. Console crashes remain a priority, with the team working diligently on a fix. Looking ahead, the Evo 2026 teaser film drops next week—described as one of the team's all-time favorite 2XKO videos. As the meta evolves post-patch 1.2.3, questions linger: Will Senna surprise everyone? Will Blitzcrank finally win a major? We'll find out together in a few weeks.

Source: This article is based on information from Riot Games' original news post 'Developing The Climb' on the 2XKO website.