Riot Games reduces the size of its 2XKO team, impacting approximately 80 employees

Riot Games has revealed plans to downsize its 2XKO development team, which will result in layoffs affecting around 80 employees.

According to a blog post by Tom Cannon, the executive producer of 2XKO, the reduction is due to the game's failure to achieve "the level needed to sustain a team of this scale in the foreseeable future."

A Riot representative informed Game Developer that nearly half of the game's global development personnel are impacted by the cutbacks.

Cannon noted, "Our expansion from PC to console revealed consistent player engagement trends with 2XKO. The game has a dedicated core audience, but overall progression hasn’t reached what is necessary to maintain such a large team over time."

He added, "This decision marks a change in our operational approach. It's not an evaluation of individual contributions nor a sign that the project is ending. We're restructuring the team to secure a more viable direction for 2XKO."

Riot plans to assist the impacted staff in "exploring new roles" within the company wherever feasible and promises a minimum of six months of notice and severance compensation.

The free-to-play fighting game was released in early access for PC in October 2025, with its console debut occurring on January 20, 2026.

Development on 2XKO started in 2019, and it was initially introduced with the working title Project L, marking Riot's expansion beyond League of Legends.