TECHNOLOGY · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Riot to End Development of League of Legends Fighting Game 2XKO by 2026
WHY IT MATTERS
The decision signals a shift in Riot’s focus toward more profitable projects and highlights the challenges of sustaining new IPs in a crowded gaming market.
What happened
Riot Games announced it will cease active development of 2XKO, its free‑to‑play League of Legends fighting game, by the end of 2026. The title launched in an early‑access beta on PC in October 2025 and expanded to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in January 2026.
Riot cited a lack of sustained player engagement as the reason for winding down the project. While servers will remain online beyond 2026, the company will unlock all playable characters and refund any money players spent on the game.
Earlier in the year, Riot had already reduced staff dedicated to 2XKO after the initial launch.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Riot is ending development on its League of Legends fighting game
The Verge · Jay Peters · Discovery only; Vox Media copyright terms apply