Riot Games has announced that active development for its free-to-play fighting game, 2XKO, will conclude in December 2026. The decision comes after monitoring the game's trajectory and finding insufficient player retention for long-term sustainability.
In a post on the official 2XKO website, Riot Games stated that while many players tried the game and an active community remains, "we haven’t seen enough players stick with the game to get to a path toward sustainability." The company highlighted the challenges 2XKO faced in the competitive fighting game market, noting that despite its free-to-play model aiming to increase accessibility, most players outside of dedicated tag fighter fans struggled to find reasons to continue playing.
Development on 2XKO, which was first announced in 2019, faced a lengthy production cycle, eventually releasing in 2025 (with a 2026 launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S). By this time, established titles such as Street Fighter VI and Guilty Gear Strive had solidified their positions in the genre.
A final patch is scheduled for December, which will introduce two new characters, Lux and Samira, alongside balance adjustments and quality-of-life improvements. The game's servers are expected to remain online beyond 2026, though their indefinite availability is not guaranteed. Following the cessation of active development, all characters in 2XKO will be unlocked, and decorative items will be purchasable using in-game currency. Players who made purchases before August 20 will be eligible for refunds.
Riot Games explained that various options, including team size reductions or business model adjustments, were considered. However, the conclusion was that concluding remaining content development and sunsetting active support was the most viable path forward for both players and developers.
The 2XKO Competitive Series is confirmed to run through the end of 2026, with its final event scheduled for November. The future inclusion of 2XKO in major fighting game tournaments like EVO remains uncertain.
Despite the end of active development, there is hope that the game's community will continue to support it. Patrick Miller, former Senior Game Producer for 2XKO, expressed sadness but believes the game's legacy will persist through the developers who gained experience and the player community that can sustain it, similar to other fighting games reliant on player passion.