Riot is ending development on its League of Legends fighting game

Riot Games is ending active development on 2XKO, its free-to-play League of Legends fighting game, at the end of 2026. The company announced that servers will remain online beyond that point, and it is unlocking all playable characters while refunding any money players spent on the game. The decision comes less than a year after the title’s initial launch, following a period in which Riot says it did not see enough players staying engaged to justify continued work.

2XKO entered early access beta on PC in October 2025 and launched on PS5 and Xbox Series X / S in January. Shortly after that console release, Riot cut staff working on the project, stating at the time that overall momentum was not sufficient to support a team of that size long term. The company has now said that, despite some positive moments tied to new character releases and competitive events, the game’s trajectory never improved meaningfully.

According to Riot’s Thursday announcement, the company evaluated 2XKO’s performance throughout the year and found that even during highlight moments, there was no sustained change in the game’s direction. Riot stated that only a fraction of what would be needed to trend toward sustainability was achieved. The company also noted that 2XKO costs substantially more to operate than it brings in, and engagement stayed relatively flat despite larger updates.

Riot said it would have continued development if it saw any viable future for the game. The company described the situation as one where it became clear that continuing active development in its current form would be impossible. The refund and character-unlock measures are intended to ease the transition for players who invested time or money into the title.

2XKO is the latest high-profile live service game to face an early shutdown or major retreat. Bloomberg reported this week that Sony is removing live service elements from its in-development multiplayer Horizon title. Highguard, which was announced for closure at December’s Game Awards, permanently shut down less than two months after its launch. Earlier this year, Remedy announced a final major update for FBC: Firebreak, its live service shooter set in the Control universe, though that game will remain online like 2XKO.

Even Fortnite has seen difficulties, as developer Epic Games laid off staff in March following what it described as a downturn in Fortnite engagement. For US players, the 2XKO shutdown means the game will stop receiving new characters, balance patches, or competitive support after 2026, though the existing experience will remain playable. Riot’s decision reflects broader pressure across the gaming industry to justify ongoing costs for live service titles amid shifting player retention patterns.

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