Riot Games downsizes 2XKO staff, about 80 workers affected

Riot Games has introduced it’s lowering the dimensions of its 2XKO improvement staff, leading to layoffs impacting roughly 80 employees.

In a blog post written by 2XKO govt producer Tom Cannon, the downsizing got here on account of the sport not reaching “the level needed to support a team of this size in the long term.”

A spokesperson for Riot advised Game Developer that just about half the sport’s international improvement staff have been affected by this choice.

“As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO,” wrote Cannon. “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.”

Cannon continued: “Ultimately, this decision reflects a shift in how we operate. This isn’t a judgment on individual [employees] or a signal that the journey is over. We’re reshaping the team to give 2XKO a more sustainable path forward.”

Riot will assist affected employees “explore opportunities” inside the developer the place doable, and supply a minimal of six months of discover and severance pay.

The free-to-play preventing title launched in early entry for PC in October 2025, with a console launch on January 20, 2026.

2XKO has been in improvement since 2019, having initially been introduced with the codename Project L.