Riot’s 2XKO Faces Major Layoffs Less Than a Month After Release
Riot Games has laid off roughly half of the development team behind 2XKO, less than a month after the fighting game’s full console launch.
The layoffs were confirmed on February 9, 2026, in a public update from executive producer Tom Cannon. According to Riot, around 80 employees were impacted, representing close to half of 2XKO’s global development staff.
2XKO officially launched on January 20, 2026, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The release marked the end of a long development cycle that began in 2019, when the project was first revealed under the name Project L. Before launch, the game spent months in early access and closed testing, with Riot positioning it as a major expansion of the League of Legends universe into the fighting game space.
In his statement, Cannon said the decision followed a review of player engagement after the game expanded from PC to consoles. He explained that while 2XKO attracted a dedicated core audience, overall momentum fell short of what Riot expected for a team of that size.
“The game has resonated with a passionate core audience, but overall momentum hasn’t reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term,” Cannon wrote. He added that the cuts were meant to give the project “a more sustainable path forward,” rather than signal the end of development.
Riot confirmed that some affected employees may be placed into other roles within the company. Those who are not reassigned will receive at least six months of pay and severance. Several former team members shared their experiences on social media shortly after the announcement, with some saying they were given only 30 minutes’ notice. The posts sparked an immediate response across the fighting game community, where concerns spread quickly about the game’s future.
Many League of Legends players believe the game flopped in part because Riot shifted its focus toward Arcane fans. For those unfamiliar with the term, Arcane fans are players who became invested after the animated series found major success. By leaning in that direction, Riot is seen as sidelining longtime players who have spent years invested in the game and its lore. While the label “Arcane fan” already carried negative weight within the community, the game’s missed potential and the recent layoffs have pushed that frustration into outright resentment.
Despite the scale and timing of the layoffs, Riot says core plans for 2XKO remain intact. Cannon stressed that the studio is not ending support for the game and that competitive plans will continue as scheduled. The 2026 Competitive Series will move forward, and Riot says it will keep working with tournament organizers and local fighting game communities.