2XKO Is Already in Trouble Less Than a Month After Release

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Riot Games’ new fighting game, 2XKO – set in the world of League of Legends – may be facing difficulties shortly after its release. The game launched on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC last month, following a period of early access that began in late 2025. It’s been a long journey for the title, which was originally announced as Project L back in 2019. However, a recent update from Riot suggests that things aren’t going as planned.

I was pretty shocked to read on Riot’s website today that they’re significantly reducing the team working on 2XKO. Apparently, Tom Cannon, the executive producer, said they’ve been looking at how players are actually using the game since launch and noticed some concerning patterns. It’s tough, but some of the developers might get to move into other roles at Riot, and those who are being laid off will at least get six months of severance. Cannon seems to think this will actually help 2XKO in the long run, which I’m hoping is true.

After careful consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to reduce the team working on 2XKO, explained Cannon. This wasn’t an easy choice. While 2XKO has a dedicated fanbase, player engagement hasn’t grown enough to justify the current team size. By focusing our efforts with a smaller team, we plan to improve the game – including features you’ve requested – and will share more details soon.

So, basically, they’re changing things up around here. It’s not about blaming anyone who’s already working on 2XKO, and it definitely doesn’t mean the project is getting cancelled. They’re just restructuring the team to make sure 2XKO can keep going strong for the long haul. It’s about setting things up for success, you know?

Riot Continues to Struggle

Honestly, this whole situation with Riot pulling the plug on 2XKO so quickly is really worrying. It’s only been out a short time, and to make this decision just weeks after launch tells me player numbers must be way lower than they expected. And let’s be real, the reviews for 2XKO weren’t amazing, which probably made it hard to get people interested in trying it out in the first place. It’s a shame, but it looks like it just didn’t catch on.

The cancellation of 2XKO highlights a recent pattern of challenges for Riot Games. While League of Legends and Valorant continue to be successful, though not as dominant as before, many of the company’s other projects haven’t taken off. The Riot Forge publishing program, which featured games from other developers, was discontinued in 2024. Hytale, a game Riot bought in 2020, was initially cancelled in 2025, but was later revived and released independently this year.

Riot Games hasn’t always had consistent success lately, but they’re still exploring new game types and concepts hoping to create their next big hit. The most promising project right now is the long-awaited League of Legends MMO, which could be a major win for the company, though it’s likely still several years from release.

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2026-02-10 00:11