Riot Games lays off half of the 2XKO game development team just weeks after launch

Riot Games

• Riot Games reduced the 2XKO team due to slow player growth after console launch
• 2XKO will still be supported by a smaller team and planned events will continue
• Laid-off employees get six months' salary and can apply for other Riot positions

Did our AI summary help?

American game developer Riot Games has announced a significant reduction in the development team working on the recently released League of Legends fighting game 2XKO. In an update posted to the official Riot Games website, executive producer Tom Cannon detailed the motive behind this decision, which comes just days after the game’s full release on consoles and PC. Riot has assured that it will continue supporting 2XKO with a smaller, focused team, and upcoming events like the 2026 Competitive Series will continue as planned.

Riot Games cuts down the team of 2XKO: Here’s why

The layoff announcement, made on February 9, comes just 20 days after the game's official launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms on February 20. In a blog post, Riot’s executive producer Tom Cannon explained the layoffs, “As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO. 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.”

Through the post, we can understand that the decision was made after assessing player engagement following the console release of the 2XKO game. Although the game amassed a dedicated large community, the growth rate was not enough to sustain a team of this size in the long run. However, this restructuring has drawn attention not just for its scale but for the speed of its execution, with some employees receiving a warning of only 30 minutes before being laid off.

The company has assured that it will continue to support the game in future after this restructuring, by continuing with a "smaller, more focused team" that will continue to work on key improvements. The current 80 laid-off employees will be offered the opportunity to apply for other positions within Riot Games. For those unable to find a new position, the company has committed to providing them at least six months’ salary and severance pay.