Riot Games has announced that active development on its League of Legends-themed fighting game, 2XKO, will conclude at the end of December this year. The decision stems from a lack of significant player adoption and retention.
Despite the cessation of active development, Riot Games has stated that servers for 2XKO will remain operational beyond 2026, though a definitive shutdown timeline has not been provided. The game will continue to be playable across all its platforms, and its existing offline mode should ensure local play remains an option even after server decommissioning.
Previously, players had to unlock characters for online play. However, with this announcement, the entire roster will now be available to all players. Furthermore, any in-game purchases made before August 20th will be fully refunded, with players retaining ownership of the items they bought.
A new patch, scheduled for September 8th, will introduce Lux as a playable character. Described as a "shoto-inspired character with a simple kit, who harnesses the power of light to illuminate her enemies," Lux will be added alongside a new $40 bundle containing all champion skins, skin chromas, and taunts. Additional items like avatar items, base champion chromas, and stages will be earnable through in-game credits.
The game's ranked mode is being removed to consolidate the player base into a single matchmaking pool per server, while casual lobbies will continue to utilize skill-based matchmaking. The final major patch is slated for October and will add Samira, the Desert Rose, characterized as a "bounty hunter who fights with bombastic flair, switching between her sword and dual pistols for maximum style."
Riot Games explained in a blog post that while a dedicated community embraced the game, it "just wasn’t happening enough." The developer noted that while "diehard tag fighter players loved 2XKO, but most other fighting game players struggled to find reasons to stick with the game." The studio observed "no meaningful, sustained change in 2XKO’s trajectory" even during peak moments, concluding that "it would be impossible for us to continue actively developing the game as we are today." The financial reality is that 2XKO incurs significant operational costs that outweigh its revenue, with engagement remaining relatively flat despite substantial updates.
This development marks a challenging period for fighting games, which can often face a high barrier to entry for new players. The decision also follows an earlier report of approximately 80 developers being laid off shortly after the game's launch, a move that suggested uncertainty regarding its growth potential.