Riot Games Lays Off 2XKO Staff Just Weeks After Release

Less than one month after its highly anticipated debut, the future of Riot Games' tag-team fighter 2XKO is shifting. In a major restructuring move announced on February 9, Riot Games lays off 2XKO development staff, cutting approximately 50% of the team. The decision comes just three weeks after the title’s full launch on PC and consoles on January 20, 2026, marking a sudden pivot for a project that has been years in the making. 

According to Executive Producer Tom Cannon, the Riot Games lays off 2XKO personnel as a result of the game failing to hit internal performance targets. While the company claims the game failed to meet its projected financial metrics, the title has simultaneously received a very positive reaction from its fans, successfully resonating with a "passionate core audience" on both PC and console.

The data regarding overall player engagement showed that the game's momentum simply wasn't enough to support the initial size of the development team. Cannon described the move as a necessary step to place the project on a "more sustainable path forward," emphasizing that the decision to downsize was not made lightly.

The human cost of this restructuring is significant. A Riot representative confirmed that roughly 80 employees globally are being removed from the project. Among those affected is former producer Patrick Miller, who shared on BlueSky that he received the news with only "30 minutes’ notice," despite having worked on the title in some form for a decade. 

The Future of 2XKO

Riot has stated that impacted staff will be offered a comprehensive support package, including at least six months of severance or notice pay. The company is also attempting to redeploy some developers to other roles within Riot where possible.

Despite the sharp reduction in workforce, Riot insists that 2XKO is not being cancelled. The studio plans to continue supporting the game with a "smaller, focused team" dedicated to making key improvements that players have been requesting since the early access period back in October 2025. 

Cannon also reassured the community that plans for the 2XKO 2026 Competitive Series remain unchanged, signaling that the esports roadmap is still active. As the dust settles, the remaining team now faces the challenge of stabilizing the game and proving it can thrive without the massive resources it launched with.