In a move that has sent ripples through the gaming industry, Riot Games has laid off approximately half of its global development team for the recently released fighting game 2XKO, amounting to about 80 employees. The announcement, made on February 10, 2026, comes just 20 days after the game's official launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms—a strikingly swift restructuring that has left both fans and industry watchers reeling.
2XKO is Riot Games’ ambitious foray into the competitive fighting game scene, featuring beloved champions from its flagship title, League of Legends. The game first appeared in early access for PC players in October 2025 and then rolled out its full release across major platforms on January 21, 2026. Despite initial excitement and a core group of enthusiastic players, the game's momentum did not meet Riot’s expectations for sustaining the large-scale development team assembled during its creation.
According to Digital Today, the cutbacks were confirmed by a Riot Games spokesperson, who stated that roughly 80 employees—half the global 2XKO team—would be let go. This was echoed by reporting from Engadget and other outlets, which noted that the layoffs were part of a larger trend of restructuring and downsizing that has swept the gaming industry in recent years.
Tom Cannon, the executive producer of 2XKO and a well-known figure in the fighting game community, addressed the situation in a candid blog post. "This decision was not made lightly," Cannon wrote. "While expanding from PC to consoles, we saw the game resonate with a passionate group of players. However, the overall momentum simply wasn’t enough to support the team’s current size for the long term." He went on to assure fans that a "smaller, more focused team will continue to work on core improvements to the game, including those requested by players."
For those affected by the layoffs, Riot Games has pledged to provide meaningful support. Cannon explained that the company would help impacted employees seek new roles within Riot. For those unable to find a new position, Riot has committed to providing at least six months’ salary and severance pay. This approach, while offering some relief, has not eased all the pain. Patrick Miller, a former producer who had spent twelve years at Riot—ten of them working on 2XKO—shared his disappointment publicly, stating on his Bluesky account that he was let go without prior notice, just thirty minutes before being informed of his termination.
Despite the upheaval, Riot Games remains committed to the future of 2XKO. The company confirmed that plans for the 2026 competitive series will proceed as scheduled. Tournaments and partnerships with regional communities are expected to continue, and Riot says it will keep supporting fighting game events and organizers. "This is not a reflection on any individual Riot employee or a signal that their journey is over," Cannon emphasized. "It’s about reorganizing the team to provide a more sustainable path forward."
The story of 2XKO is one of high hopes and hard realities. The game was developed under the leadership of Tom and Tony Cannon, the brothers who previously co-founded Radiant Entertainment. Riot acquired Radiant in 2016, drawn in part by the Cannons’ expertise in both game development and the technical infrastructure that underpins modern fighting games. Tom Cannon is especially known for his work on the EVO Championship Series and the creation of GGPO rollback netcode technology, which has become a gold standard for online play in fighting games.
When Riot set out to build 2XKO, it was seen as a major commitment to the fighting game genre—a space long dominated by franchises like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. The decision to use League of Legends champions as the basis for a two-versus-two tag fighting game was a bold one, aiming to bridge the gap between Riot’s massive existing player base and the established fighting game community. Early access on PC generated buzz, and the subsequent console launch in January 2026 was met with anticipation. However, as Game Developer and other outlets noted, the initial surge of interest did not translate into the sustained player engagement needed to justify the team’s size.
The layoffs at Riot are emblematic of a larger pattern in the gaming industry. Over the past several years, even the biggest names in gaming have faced tough choices as market pressures, shifting player habits, and rising development costs have forced studios to rethink how they staff and support their projects. According to Digital Today, the industry has seen "ongoing restructuring and layoffs in recent years," with 2XKO now joining the list of titles affected by these trends.
For the remaining 2XKO team, the road ahead will be challenging but not without hope. Tom Cannon’s message to the community was clear: "We’ll continue to work on the core improvements that players have asked for, even with a smaller team." Riot’s commitment to maintaining the competitive season and supporting community events suggests that, while the company is scaling back, it is not abandoning the project or its fans.
As for the employees who lost their jobs, the promise of internal support and severance offers some comfort, but the abruptness of the layoffs—particularly for long-serving staff like Patrick Miller—has left a bitter aftertaste. It’s a reminder that, in the fast-moving world of game development, even years of dedication can be upended in a matter of minutes.
Ultimately, the fate of 2XKO will depend on whether its smaller, refocused team can deliver the improvements and content that players crave. Riot’s experience with League of Legends has shown that games can evolve and thrive over time, given the right mix of support and creativity. Whether 2XKO can follow that path remains to be seen, but for now, the game’s future—and that of its community—hangs in the balance.