Riot Games' CPO and co-founder Marc Merrill has spoken about the studio's long-in-development MMO, internally referred to as "the grail," in the wake of the recent announcement that the fighting game 2XKO has ceased development. Speaking at Pax West 2026, Merrill acknowledged the ambitious nature of the MMO project, stating, "f*ck it, many a brave knight are going to die." He emphasized a mindset of pursuing difficult but worthy goals, even if challenging to execute at scale.
The unnamed MMO has been in development for an extended period, initially under Greg Street before restarting. Merrill has previously suggested a pre-2030 release, but public details remain scarce, with no official name, release window, or specific genre confirmation. This lack of information has drawn skepticism from some players online, particularly in light of 2XKO's abrupt end. Concerns have been raised about the longevity of Riot's projects, with one user on X noting that "how can we trust this game will stick around?"
Other players have expressed frustration over the perceived lack of transparency regarding the MMO. Despite years of development, there have been no publicly released screenshots, concept art, or even an official name, a situation that mirrors the development of 2XKO, which spent a significant portion of its nearly ten-year production cycle in relative obscurity.
Merrill defended the decision to end 2XKO's development, stating that he "wouldn't characterize 2XKO as a mistake." He explained the inherent difficulties of free-to-play and live-service games in a highly competitive market, where capturing and maintaining player attention is a significant hurdle. He noted that 2XKO "unfortunately didn't do that" to the extent required for sustainability, though he maintained it was a "great game" and assured players that refunds would be issued and the game kept online. Merrill stressed that the cancellation did not diminish the development team's commitment to the fighting game community.
He also addressed broader concerns about the implications of 2XKO's sunsetting for other Riot Games projects, asserting that players "shouldn't be" worried. Merrill highlighted Riot's "unquenchable desire to serve and make it better" and confirmed that "a lot of cool things" are in development.
This discussion follows a pattern of significant projects at Riot Games facing challenges. The digital card game Legends of Runeterra was similarly sunsetted in 2024, and the company also scaled back its indie publishing label, Riot Forge, around the same time. The studio's history with live-service titles includes not only League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics but also less sustained efforts like the aforementioned 2XKO and Legends of Runeterra, alongside the long-unseen action game Project F. The success of the upcoming MMO is therefore crucial for Riot to demonstrate its ability to deliver and support a game long-term in a demanding genre.