- Riot Games is laying off around 80 developers from the 2XKO team
- The cuts affect roughly half of the game’s development staff
- Layoffs come weeks after a strong console launch performance
- Riot says 2XKO will continue to receive updates despite the cuts
Riot Games has confirmed that it is laying off roughly 80 developers from the team behind 2XKO, its free to play tag based fighting game set in the League of Legends universe. According to internal messaging and reporting, that figure represents close to half of the game’s total development staff.
The announcement came via a post from executive producer Tom Cannon, who stressed that the decision followed extensive internal discussion. Cannon said the studio had been reviewing player engagement trends as the game expanded from PC into the console space.
While 2XKO attracted a dedicated and highly engaged core audience, Riot concluded that the game’s overall momentum was not strong enough to support a team of its existing size over the long term.
This framing has done little to soften the impact of the news, particularly because it arrives so soon after the game’s official console debut.
A launch that looked strong on the surface
2XKO launched on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in January, following a long and often rocky early access period on PC. During its console release window, the game ranked among the most downloaded free to play titles of the month. It even outperformed several comparable competitors in the same genre, an achievement that would traditionally be seen as a clear win.
From a player perspective, the response has largely been positive. Complaints around monetisation and the free to play model were predictable, but the core mechanics, presentation, and competitive depth earned genuine praise.
Many players viewed 2XKO as a solid foundation that could grow into something special with time, updates, and roster expansions.
That is precisely why the layoffs have come as such a shock. For many fans, the game appeared to be in the early stages of an upward trajectory rather than on the verge of contraction.
Internal expectations versus player reality
Riot’s explanation suggests a familiar pattern in the modern games industry. Success is no longer measured by strong launches alone, especially in free to play ecosystems. Engagement curves, retention metrics, and long term spending projections often carry more weight than download numbers or community goodwill.
Cannon acknowledged that the news would raise concerns about the game’s future, but insisted that 2XKO will continue to receive updates and new content. Still, the scale of the layoffs raises unavoidable questions about how ambitious that support can realistically be.
The situation feels even more uncomfortable given the game’s history. 2XKO endured a lengthy development cycle and launched with a relatively small 11 character roster, a decision that was widely criticised for a 2v2 fighting game. For some players, the layoffs reinforce a narrative that the project has struggled to fully align with Riot’s internal benchmarks from the very beginning.
Community reaction and human cost
Unsurprisingly, the community response has been sharp. On social platforms, players have voiced scepticism about 2XKO’s future in the competitive fighting game scene, with some predicting that tournament support will quietly fade.
More troubling are the personal stories emerging from affected developers. One former team member claimed they spent a decade working on the project and more than 12 years at Riot, only to be laid off with minimal notice. These accounts underscore the human cost behind corporate restructuring language and metrics driven decisions.
For a game that many believe has genuine potential, the layoffs feel less like a strategic recalibration and more like a loss of momentum at the worst possible time.
An industry pattern that keeps repeating
It is difficult to ignore the broader context. Across the industry, studios are trimming teams even on projects that appear outwardly successful. In that light, 2XKO’s situation feels less like an isolated failure and more like another example of increasingly unforgiving expectations.
The irony is that 2XKO seems to be doing what many live service games need time to do: find its audience, refine its systems, and grow steadily. Whether Riot’s leaner team can deliver on that promise remains to be seen.
For now, the message is clear. In today’s games industry, being good is no longer enough. You have to be massive, fast, and endlessly scalable, or risk being cut down before you ever reach your stride.
Follow TechBSB For More Updates
