Riot Lays Off About 80 Developers From 2XKO Team After Launch, Citing Lower Than Needed Overall Momentum
Riot Games has confirmed a significant reduction to the team behind 2XKO, the League of Legends universe 2v2 tag fighter that exited early access on January 20, 2026. In an official update, executive producer Tom Cannon said the game is performing well with its core audience, but the overall momentum has not reached the level required to sustain a team of its prior size over the long term.
While Cannon’s post does not specify an exact layoff figure, a follow up report from Game Developer says a Riot spokesperson confirmed approximately 80 people are impacted, which effectively represents about 50% of the team’s previous headcount.
Cannon framed the decision as a structural reset rather than a judgement on individual performance. He explained that as Riot expanded 2XKO from PC to console, the company observed consistent engagement trends that pointed to a need to resize the organization. The plan now is to operate with a smaller, more focused group and prioritize targeted improvements, including items the community has been actively requesting, with more detail promised soon in future communications. Riot also emphasized it is supporting affected developers through the transition.
From a market and product strategy perspective, this is a familiar pattern in today’s fighting game segment. High quality visuals and strong IP recognition can attract a dedicated player base, but sustaining broader growth requires momentum across casual onboarding, retention loops, social engagement, creator coverage, and competitive viewing. Riot’s wording suggests 2XKO has a loyal core, but not enough expansion velocity to justify its original staffing level. That distinction matters because it implies the product is not being abandoned, but it is being put on a more cost efficient runway where output is expected to be more selective and focused.
Importantly, Cannon said plans for the 2026 Competitive Series remain unchanged, positioning esports continuity as a stabilizing pillar while the team recalibrates. If Riot can maintain competitive visibility while improving key friction points for mainstream players, 2XKO can still pursue a stronger second wave, but the near term reality is that fewer developers usually means tighter scope and stricter prioritization.
For players, the most immediate question is what changes get accelerated versus delayed. The message signals that gameplay and quality improvements will remain the priority, but content cadence and feature breadth could narrow as the team restructures. For the industry, it is another reminder that even major publishers are ruthlessly aligning headcount with momentum, especially after launch when real engagement data replaces internal forecasts.
Do you think 2XKO can rebound with a smaller team and focused updates, or is this a sign that the game will struggle to grow beyond its core audience?
