Riot Games has officially revealed it is minimizing the size of its 2XKO development team, resulting in termination of nearly 80 employees.
According to a blog post written by 2XKO executive producer Tom Cannon, the major downsizing came as a result of the game not reaching "the level needed to support a team of this size in the long term."
A spokesperson for Riot told Game Developer, nearly half the game’s global development team have been seriously impacted by this decision.
Cannon stated, "As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO. 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 continued: "Ultimately, this decision reflects a shift in how we operate. This isn't a judgment on individual [employees] or a signal that the journey is over. We're reshaping the team to give 2XKO a more sustainable path forward."
The company is ready to assist the affected employees in “exploring a range of new opportunities” within the developer where possible, and offer a nearly six months notice period.
Notably, the game was released in early access for PC in October 2025, with a console release on January 20, 2026.
