2XKO: Riot Games' League of Legends Fighting Game Fails, Half-Team Laid Off

Just three weeks after Riot Games launched its League of Legends universe combat game, 2XKO, the company announced the layoff of approximately 80 employees—almost half the development team. Despite a strong initial concept and years of development at Riot's California studio (following the acquisition of Radiant Entertainment in 2016), the project has not performed as expected. Riot had hoped the ambitious 2v2 title would appeal to both casual players and esports enthusiasts. While the game has garnered positive feedback and a dedicated community, 2XKO has struggled to gain widespread recognition, remaining largely unknown outside of the fighting game community and receiving limited coverage in gaming media. According to Tom Cannon of Riot Games, 2XKO's player base is not large enough to justify maintaining the original team size. Facing a crowded market dominated by established franchises like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, Riot is shifting its strategy for the title. The company is offering severance packages, including at least six months of pay, and is working to find alternative positions within Riot for the affected employees. The layoffs have been met with criticism, particularly given the current wave of job cuts across the gaming industry.

Riot Games Streamlines 2XKO Development for Long-Term Sustainability

Riot Games will continue development of 2XKO with a smaller team focused on game balancing, community engagement, and hosting competitive events. This revised approach aims to sustain the game over the long term through more careful resource management.

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