SUMMARY
- Riot Games 2XKO downsizing comes shortly after the game’s Jan. 21 full launch.
- The company said long term engagement did not justify the existing team size.
- Competitive plans for 2026 remain unchanged, according to Riot.
Riot Games said it is reducing the development team behind 2XKO, its free to play League of Legends fighting game, weeks after the title’s full console launch, citing lower than needed player momentum to sustain current staffing levels.
The Riot Games 2XKO downsizing marks another recalibration in the global games industry, where publishers are reassessing live service titles amid rising development costs and uneven player retention. Riot confirmed the move in a public statement released late Monday.
2XKO, previously known as Project L, spent several years in development before entering early access on PC and later expanding to consoles.
Riot positioned the title as a major extension of the League of Legends universe into competitive fighting games, a crowded genre dominated by long established franchises.
Executive producer Tom Cannon said the decision followed extensive internal review. He said engagement trends showed strong appeal among a core audience but insufficient overall growth.
Former producer Patrick Miller said on BlueSky that he was laid off with little notice after nearly a decade working on the project, highlighting the human cost of the Riot Games 2XKO downsizing.
Cannon said affected employees would receive support, including opportunities within Riot or at least six months of notice pay and severance.
Miller said the layoffs came abruptly, underscoring instability across live service development teams.
Riot said a smaller team will focus on targeted improvements requested by players. The company reiterated its commitment to the 2026 Competitive Series despite the Riot Games 2XKO downsizing.
The Riot Games 2XKO downsizing reflects broader pressures reshaping game development, balancing creative ambition against sustainable player engagement in an increasingly competitive market.
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