Riot Games announced 2XKO active development endsA free-to-play fighting game inspired by League of Legends, while the community remained active, it failed to maintain a critical mass of players to support further investment in the long term.
The company explained that it had carefully monitored the game’s progress in recent months and concluded that there were no prospects for this situation. “We’re seeing a lot of people playing the game and an incredible community playing it every day, but we haven’t seen enough players sticking with the game to reach our goals. sustainable path” Riot said.
It hasn’t found its audience yet.
The project was born out of a desire to satisfy the needs of fighting game fans looking for a new experience, as well as less experienced players who find the genre particularly inaccessible. Riot claims to have collected some positive signsAlthough “small”, these results are not enough to make up for the difficulty of the competition.
These issues were already present at launch in January 2026, when Riot laid off about 80 people immediately after launch. Over the next few months, the team continued to roll out updates and new content, but public participation Remain basically stable.
Fighting games still want to remain a niche genre
The decision was primarily financially motivated. Riot explains that “the cost of 2XKO is much higher than the revenue it generates,” and despite the larger update, participation levels have remained relatively unchanged.
The study therefore ruled out continuing for another year in the hope that things would change. “Trying for another year and hoping to find a way would be irresponsible to both players and the development team,” Riot explained, adding that if it saw a concrete future for the game, it would continue to actively develop the game.
However, support will not end immediately. On August 20, Riot announced All purchases made up to this date will be refunded in the coming weeks. An update will also be released on September 8th, making all heroes available for free to the entire player base. On the same day, a final $40 bundle will launch, containing all the cosmetics released to date.
The September update will also add Lux, a character in Evo 2026. The ultimate champion is expected to be Samira, who will arrive in the October update, destined to be 2XKO’s last major content update.
After game development is completed It can still be played online and offline in the foreseeable future. Riot concluded by explaining that it hopes to use the experience gained with 2XKO to re-explore new game types and new ways to connect players.
“Right now, our focus is on keeping 2X in good shape. We will then return to the R&D lab, where we will spend time learning and figuring out how to get stronger the next time we try another type,” the company concluded.
