2XKO Dev Team Reduced In Size As Game Fails To Hit Big On Consoles

2 hours ago 1

Published Feb 9, 2026, 3:34 PM EST

Scott Baird is a contributor with over a decade's experience writing about video games, along with board games and tabletop RPGs. Scott has previously worked for Dexerto, Cracked, Dorkly, and Gamepur.

2XKO has failed to catch on in the way Riot Games expected, leading to the game's development team being reduced in size, affecting the game's scope and plans going forward.

2XKO is a 2v2 fighting game that uses characters from League of Legends. It's a free-to-play game, with monetization through cosmetics and hastened character unlocks. This means there's zero barrier to entry, and anyone on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/s can enjoy it without paying a penny.

2XKO Closed Beta Is Now Live As Invites Are Being Rolled Out

2XKO Closed Beta Goes Live With Invites Rolling Out

Waiting for the 2XKO Invite? Well, you aren't alone. The Closed Beta is now live with invites still rolling out.

After spending a lengthy time in early access on PC, 2XKO finally launched on January 20, 2026, alongside its console ports. It seems the expanded audience wasn't enough, as Riot Games has announced on its official website that the 2XKO team is being downsized.

2XKO Isn't Finding The Audience It Needs

In a post concerning the future of 2XKO, Executive Producer Tom Cannon announced that the development team is being reduced in size. While the game has found a core audience, it hasn't built a large enough fanbase to sustain its current team.

"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 confirmed that more work is planned for the game, and the 2026 Competitive Series will go ahead. However, it's unclear how long 2XKO will still be supported, which, for a live service, is pretty much death.

Things aren't looking good for 2XKO. It's a free-to-play fighting game tied to a major license that launched during a traditionally dead time of year for the gaming calendar, meaning it had a lot going for it on day one. If it's already shedding team members less than a month in, then the writing could already be on the wall.