Riot Games, the powerhouse behind the globally popular League of Legends franchise, has announced a significant round of layoffs impacting its fighting game division less than a month after the console launch of 2XKO. The decision, confirmed on February 9, 2026, sees about 80 employees—roughly half of the game's global development team—let go as the company recalibrates its approach to the fledgling title.
2XKO, a tag-team fighting game spun out of the League of Legends universe, has been a labor of love for nearly a decade. Its journey began back in 2016 when Riot acquired Radiant Entertainment, a studio founded by brothers Tom and Tony Cannon, both renowned figures in the fighting game community. The project, initially shrouded in secrecy, was officially announced in 2019 and has since undergone years of iteration, closed betas, and community testing. The game entered early access on PC in November 2025 and made its console debut on January 20, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Despite the anticipation and Riot’s pedigree, the launch of 2XKO did not meet the company’s expectations. Executive producer Tom Cannon addressed the layoffs in a candid blog post, attributing the cuts to muted player engagement following the game’s expansion from PC to consoles. “As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO,” Cannon explained, according to PC Gamer. “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.”
The layoffs, which represent nearly half of the development staff, have sent ripples through the gaming community. According to Game Developer, some employees learned of their termination with as little as 30 minutes’ notice, even after dedicating over a decade to Riot and the 2XKO project. Riot, for its part, has pledged to support affected workers by offering them the chance to apply for other roles within the company. Those who are not placed elsewhere will receive a minimum of six months’ pay and severance, a measure intended to soften the blow of the sudden job cuts.
While the layoffs are certainly a setback, Riot Games insists that this is not the end for 2XKO. The company plans to continue supporting the game with a smaller, more focused team. Cannon emphasized that the team will “dig in and make key improvements to the game, including some of the things we’ve already heard you asking for.” The studio is committed to maintaining its partnerships with fighting game community (FGC) tournament organizers and upholding its plans for the 2026 Competitive Series. “With its smaller, focused team, the developer will continue to work on key improvements for the game,” Cannon stated, as reported by GamesRadar+.
The rapid downsizing comes at a time of broader restructuring for Riot Games. The company has been reassessing its portfolio since 2019, making what CEO Dylan Jadeja described as “a number of big bets” that have not always yielded the desired returns. In 2024, Riot shuttered its Riot Forge program and laid off 530 employees, signaling a shift toward fewer, higher-impact projects. Despite these changes, Riot’s flagship title, League of Legends, is set for further expansion, with League executive producer Paul “Pabro” Bellezza and head of studio Andrei “Meddler” van Roon recently teasing major updates for the iconic game.
For 2XKO, the road has been anything but smooth. The game’s development cycle stretched for nearly a decade, marked by high hopes and persistent challenges. Its unique tag-team mechanics and co-op focus were designed to appeal to both fighting game aficionados and newcomers alike. However, the game’s reception post-launch has highlighted the difficulties of breaking into the competitive fighting game market, especially with entrenched franchises like Street Fighter and Tekken dominating the space.
Industry observers note that the decision to reduce the team so soon after launch is unusual, especially for a title with such a lengthy and well-publicized development. As PC Gamer points out, “cutting the team in half less than three weeks after launch doesn’t point to good things.” Still, the company’s willingness to continue investing in improvements and community partnerships suggests that Riot is not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
The layoffs also underscore the volatility of the gaming industry, where even established companies like Riot are not immune to the pressures of market performance and shifting player interests. The move follows a wave of layoffs across the industry in recent years, as studios grapple with rising development costs, changing consumer habits, and the unpredictable nature of live-service games.
For the employees affected, the transition will be challenging. Riot’s offer of internal placement and severance is a silver lining, but for many, the end of their journey with 2XKO marks the conclusion of years of hard work and dedication to a project that, for now, remains in flux. One developer, reflecting on social media, shared the bittersweet experience of being let go after twelve years at Riot and a decade on 2XKO, encapsulating the emotional toll such decisions can have on those behind the scenes.
Looking ahead, Riot Games’ next steps will be closely watched by both fans and industry analysts. The company has promised to share more information about its plans for 2XKO in the near future. For now, the game’s passionate core audience can take some solace in the fact that the 2026 Competitive Series will proceed as planned, and that Riot remains committed to refining the experience based on community feedback. Whether these efforts will be enough to reinvigorate 2XKO’s fortunes remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the story of Riot’s ambitious fighting game is far from over.
As the dust settles, the fate of 2XKO will serve as a telling case study in the challenges of innovation, audience engagement, and sustainability in the ever-evolving world of video game development.