Riot is ending active development on 2XKO while keeping the lights on
The beloved fighting game from Riot swung for the fences but wasn't able to get out of the infield
Man, 2026 just keeps on swinging (negative).
Back in January, Riot released their free-to-play tag-team fighting game 2XKO and they've been struggling to build momentum, or even retain players, since launch. Unfortunately, much like many other games in the live service space this year, Riot has announced their plans to sunset active development in December.
Revealed in a blog post yesterday afternoon, Riot spoke about some of the issues the game has been facing, stating:
We evaluated the game’s overall performance—not just revenue, but retention, new players, and engagement—through 2026. We saw [...] no meaningful, sustained change in 2XKO’s trajectory; only a fraction of what it would take to trend toward sustainability. Over time it became clear it would be impossible for us to continue actively developing the game as we are today.
Riot also mentioned that their goals are to "do right" by the players and that they will be refunding all purchases made before or on August 20th, the date of this announcement, and those purchases will be returned to you via the platform you play on (I recommend checking the blog post for specifics).
Patch 1.3.1 on September 8th will introduce the 2XKO Ultimate Bundle, which will include all skins, skin chromas, and taunts for every champion, including the new Lux champ. The patch will also bring a ton of changes to the game: removing Ranked matchmaking and adjusting the casual modes, removing battle passes, KO points, events, and more, adding more items to the in-game currency shop, and other meaningful sustainability changes.
The patch in October will release the final new Champion, Samira, and also add her cosmetic items retroactively to the 2XKO Ultimate Bundle. Following that, there will be one more "optional" patch in December, officially ending Riot Games' active development. Riot didn't share any plans for a future date for shutting the game down, and they might not do so for years to come, only promising that the game will still be playable beyond 2026.
If you've ever enjoyed 2XKO, go hop in and kick some ass for a few rounds. Show the developers that you appreciate their hard work.
