2XKO Already Dead? Riot Cuts Half the Team Just 3 Weeks After Launch – What Went Wrong
Tuesday, February 10, 20262XKO Already Dead? Riot Cuts Half the Team Just 3 Weeks After Launch – What Went Wrong
February 10, 2026 — It's the nightmare scenario no one saw coming: Riot Games is slashing nearly half its 2XKO development team — about 80 roles — less than three weeks after the free-to-play tag-team fighter's full console launch. Fans and devs are reeling, with many declaring the game "cooked" already.
The Shocking Announcement
On February 9, 2XKO Executive Producer Tom Cannon dropped the bomb in an official Riot blog post:
"After a lot of discussion and reflection, we are reducing the size of the 2XKO team. [...] Overall momentum hasn’t reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term."
Riot confirmed to outlets like GamesIndustry.biz and Game Developer that ~80 employees are impacted — roughly 50% of the global team. Some devs report getting just 30 minutes' notice after years (even a decade) on the project.
Quick Timeline: From Hype to Layoffs
- Late 2025: PC Early Access begins.
- Jan 20-21, 2026: Full Season 1 launch on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S.
- Feb 9, 2026: Team reduction announced — 20 days later.
Player trends during the console rollout allegedly showed a "passionate core" but insufficient broad momentum.
What Went Wrong? The Post-Mortem
Riot cites post-launch data, but the FGC and analysts are pointing fingers. Here's a breakdown of speculated culprits:
| Issue | Details | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Launch Roster | Only 12 characters at 1.0 — too few for a tag fighter to hook players long-term. | High (FGC staple complaint) |
| Monetization Gripes | Expensive cosmetics ($50+ skins?) turned off F2P crowd in a niche genre. | Medium-High |
| No Public Player Data | Not on Steam; undisclosed counts hint at quick drop-off post-hype. | High (Momentum killer) |
| Fierce Competition | 2026 tag fighter boom (Marvel Tōkon, etc.) split the audience. | Medium |
| Live-Service Pressure | Riot expected LoL-level retention; FGC realities hit hard. | High |
Riot's Promises & Employee Support
Not all doom: A "smaller, focused team" will deliver player-requested features soon. 2026 Competitive Series is safe, with FGC event support intact.
Laid-off staff get internal transfers where possible, plus 6 months' severance.
Dev Heartbreak & Community Fury
Laid-off talents are pouring out emotion on X:
- Thomas (@thomashuynh_): "Got laid off [...] poured my heart into every animation." (24K+ likes)
- Alex Jaffe (@Blinkity): Lead designer Ekko; "8 great years [...] YOU CAN DO IT 2XKO." (3K+ likes)
Community: Shock ("We're cooked 😟"), some defend as "post-launch norm," but most fear slowed updates.
Is 2XKO Done For?
The game lives on for free — but with half the manpower, expect slower content. A wake-up call for live-service fighters in 2026's crowded arena. Will Riot turn it around?
Sound off: Dead on arrival or hidden gem? 2XKO still playable on PC/PS5/Xbox.
Sources: Riot Games official post