Riot Games has announced it’s downsizing the team behind its 2v2 tag fighting game 2XKO as the game “hasn’t reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term.”
In an announcement post on Feb. 9, Tom Cannon, executive producer for 2XKO explained that after failing to reach the momentum desired, the game would be scaling back its team and scope, which in practice, meant layoffs within Riot Games. No exact number was given on the amount of layoffs, but from LinkedIn and other social media posts, it’s believed to be around 80-100 employees affected.
2XKO launched on Jan. 20, 2026, to relatively little fanfare. The game, which had seen good discussion and traction during its alpha and betas, generated little buzz after launch. While user figures are currently unknown, long match wait times and seemingly deserted regional servers have left players wanting.
Now, less than a month after launch, Riot Games, specifically the 2XKO team, faces layoffs.
In his post on the Riot Games website, producer Cannon explained the internal reasoning behind these cuts:
“I want you to know that decision wasn’t made lightly. As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO. 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.”
That aforementioned momentum had seen the game quickly shoot to prominence upon announcement and subsequent betas, before stalling after launch.
Image Credit: Riot Games
Criticism of 2XKO had been broad. First, and perhaps most damning, was the questionable marketing and launch. Publicity for the game’s alpha and beta periods had, arguably, been better than the game’s launch, with one beta coinciding with EVO 2025, one of the biggest events in the FGC. In fact “launch” seems like a generous description, as 2xko flopped into general access without much fanfare earlier this year.
Then there were issues with the game’s name, 2XKO. While notionally a reference to the tag gameplay, (two times knock out?), the title screamed of SEO-brained marketing, in the same vein as VALORANT, TFT, and LoL. Riot’s track record of picking a strong, searchable name (or, cynically, supplanting an existing one), and finding success, had been almost perfect. But with 2XKO, the naming fell flat.
Some pointed out that a League of Legends fighting game should contain a reference to Leagues or, indeed, Legends, in the title. Instead, the marketing seemingly actively avoided the link. And to cut deeper, some have suggested that 2XKO is just difficult to say in several markets where the game should be doing better, such as in China, and Japan.
Then there were the tiny number of characters. Despite LoL, and the expanded League of Legends Universe (Arcane, Legends of Runeterra, TFT, etc.) having a pool of hundreds of champions to call on, the game launched with just 10, something criticized all the way back in September 2025, months before release.
This number would have been fine, back in the 90s, but with games like Street Fighter, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, launching with far more, and tag fighters, like 2XKO, traditionally having (and needing) more characters, this was largely unacceptable.
There were dozens of other small missteps. The decision to not use motion inputs (a fighting game staple). A control system that claimed to be simple, but befuddled even veteran FGC players. Basic functionality issues with fight sticks and controllers. Steep prices for in-game purchases and cosmetics. Netplay issues. The list goes on.
And perhaps crucially, there was a question of who 2XKO was really for. Was it for LoL players who wanted another way to enjoy their favorite Champion? Well, the lack of marketing, tiny number of characters nixed that. What about Arcane fans looking to dive into the world of Runeterra? Again, the links are only notional. For the FGC? For new players to the genre? Who knows!
It seems unfortunate then that this downsizing seemed inevitable. Too many missteps. But this inevitability will be little comfort for almost a hundred Riot Games employees who find themselves out of work as the games industry kicks off yet another year with mass layoffs.
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Featured Image Credit: Riot Games
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