Riot Games let some people go from the team making 2XKO. This fighting game just started a few weeks ago. The job cuts came right after it launched on game machines, and it has upset many fans who worry about what comes next for the game.
The news came out on February 9. That was less than a month after 2XKO opened to players on January 20 for computers and game machines.
The game has a group of fans who really like it, but not enough people are playing to keep such a big team working for a long time. That is what Tom Cannon, the head producer for 2XKO, said.
Cannon explained that the company will now use a smaller team that focuses on the most important things. Riot says this will let the workers make better updates that players want. It should also help the game keep going without problems.
“A More Sustainable Path Forward”
Riot Games first showed 2XKO back in 2019. They called it Project L then. It is a fighting game based on League of Legends. After years of work and some tests with players, it had a short private test in September 2025. Then it went to early play a month later.
By January, 2XKO came to game machines with its first big update. Just 21 days after that, about 80 workers from the team lost their jobs. That is what one report said.
The people who lost jobs will get at least six months of pay and help finding other work. Riot will try to place them inside the company if they can.
Riot says these changes show how they do business now. It does not mean 2XKO is less important. Cannon said it gives the game a better chance to keep going. They looked at how players act after adding game machines.
Players in the community feel let down by the news. You can see it in talks online. Many worry about the future even with the company’s promises. Fans point to another game, Legends of Runeterra. Riot kept that card game going for about four years from 2020 to 2024 before cutting it back a lot.
Riot says the job cuts will help the game last. But letting people go so soon after starting does not make fans feel sure about long help. To some, a smaller team looks like trouble ahead, not a smart plan.
For now, 2XKO is still running. Its plans for contests are still set. The first big update is coming soon. Time will tell if the smaller team helps or hurts the game.
