Riot Games announced it will terminate dozens of employees from its 2XKO team just weeks after the free-to-play League of Legends PvP fighting game launched. Riot Games revealed the cuts in a new blog post by 2XKO producer Tom Cannon. The game was first released for PC in Early Access in October 2025; 2XKO landed on consoles on January 20, 2026.
“After a lot of discussion and reflection, we are reducing the size of the 2XKO team,” Cannon explains in the studio’s news release. According to a Game Developer report, one Riot spokesperson said the layoffs will affect around 80 2XK0 employees — about half of the game’s crew.
Riot Games’ message cites suboptimal player engagement as a primary factor behind the internal changes. “As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO,” Cannon said in the news release. “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.”
“With a smaller, focused team, we’re going to dig in and make key improvements to the game, including some of the things we’ve already heard you asking for. We’ll share some of our plans soon.”
What’s next for 2XKO?
Despite the company’s latest round of layoffs, Riot Games’ Cannon says the studio has no plans to discontinue 2XKO support. Additionally, competitive plans for the fighting game will not be affected.
“Our plans for the 2026 Competitive Series are unchanged. We remain committed to partnering with tournament organizers and local communities,” Cannon wrote. “Our focus will continue to be on supporting the events and organizers that already power the FGC.”
“Ultimately, this decision reflects a shift in how we operate. This isn’t a judgment on individual Rioters or a signal that the journey is over. We’re reshaping the team to give 2XKO a more sustainable path forward.”
Employees confirm layoffs on social media as players offer condolences
In addition to Riot Games’ direct confirmation, terminated 2XKO team members are taking to social media to share firsthand experiences. In one Bluesky post, former producer Patrick Miller reported he was informed of his termination “with 30 minutes’ notice.”
Ten years on 2XKO, 12 at Riot and I got laid off with 30min notice lol
Gonna take some time.
On social media platform X, another now-former Riot staffer announced they, too, had been released:
Got laid off from Riot today. 2XKO was everything I wanted – my dream studio, my dream project, animating fighting game characters with some of the best in the industry. I poured my heart into every animation, every frame. Seeing those characters come alive was magic.
According to Game Developer, released employees “will be given a chance to apply for jobs elsewhere within Riot Games,” while “[t]hose who cannot find other positions will be offered a minimum of 6 months pay and severance.”
The studio’s latest round of layoffs isn’t its first. Back in January 2024, Riot laid off more than 500 employees globally, about 11 percent of its workforce. In October 2024, Riot terminated nearly 30 League of Legends developers as well as a handful of workers from its publishing sector. Following the studio’s October layoffs, Riot co-founder Marc Merrill said “the League team will eventually be even larger than it is today as [they] develop the next phase of League.”
At the time of writing, the homepage of Riot Games’ website shows a large banner that reads, “We’re hiring!” The banner advertises 162 open positions across 24 offices.
