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Riot Games Ends 2XKO Active Development at End of 2026

2XKO's shutdown comes roughly one year after its January 2026 full launch and follows a February layoff of about 80 developers, roughly half the team, making it one of Riot Games' shortest-lived major releases.

Key Facts

  • Riot Games announced on August 21 that active development of 2XKO will end at the end of 2026.
  • 2XKO officially launched on January 21, 2026, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, following PC early access in October 2025.
  • Roughly 80 developers, about half of the 2XKO development team, were laid off on February 10, 2026.
  • Patch 1.3.1 on September 8 adds champion Lux and unlocks all champions; patch 1.3.3 in October adds Samira, the final new champion.
  • Riot Games will issue refunds for eligible in-game purchases made by August 20, with Japan and Korea procedures announced later.

Reporting from 7 sources: 4Gamer.net, KAI-YOU, Automaton, Denfaminicogamer, and 3 more.

Riot Games Ends 2XKO Active Development at End of 2026

Riot Games announced on August 21 that active development of the free-to-play 2v2 fighting game 2XKO will end at the end of 2026. The online servers will continue to operate, and the game will remain playable on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with offline play unaffected. The company said player retention did not reach a sustainable level, and that operating costs far exceeded revenue, with engagement remaining flat even after major updates. Throughout 2026, Riot Games introduced new champions, the PvE mode The Climb, and competitive events, but these did not change the game's trajectory. The company considered reducing team size, decreasing update frequency, and changing the business model before deciding to complete in-development content and end active development. Updates continue through the year: patch 1.3.1 on September 8 adds champion Lux and unlocks all champions for all players, while patch 1.3.3 in October adds Samira, the final new champion. A December patch focuses on bug fixes. Systems including the battle pass, KO Points, champion tokens, seasons, events, and ranked matches will be removed, with matchmaking consolidated into casual lobbies. Refunds for eligible in-game purchases made by August 20 are planned, with Japan and Korea procedures to be announced later.

  • Patch 1.3.1 on September 8 adds "Lux, the Lady of Luminosity" and unlocks all champions for all players.
  • Patch 1.3.3 in October adds "Samira, the Desert Rose," the final new champion and last major content update.
  • Patch 1.3.5 in December focuses on bug fixes, delivered as needed.
  • Systems removed to sustain the online service: battle pass, KO Points, champion tokens, seasons, events, and ranked matches.
  • Matchmaking consolidates into casual lobbies, where skill-based matchmaking remains; private lobbies continue.
  • Customization items will be bundled and made unlockable with in-game credits.
  • On PC, refunds cover KO Points and the "2XKO Starter Edition," returned to the original payment method; PS5 and Xbox Series X|S refunds go through each platform.
  • Japan and Korea server refunds follow local laws, with procedures in future notices or individual notifications.
  • The "2XKO Competitive Series" 2026 schedule is unchanged, with the final official event in November; community tournaments can continue from 2027 under guidelines.
  • Riot Games said it will take knowledge from "2XKO" back to research and development while exploring new genres.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 7 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

2XKO League of Legends Riot Games

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