Riot Games ends active development of fighting game 2XKO
Operating costs have significantly outstripped revenue for the title, which launched in January 2026.
Riot Games has announced that active development of its fighting game 2XKO will cease in December 2026. The decision follows a period of underperformance, with the company stating that the game’s operating costs have greatly outstripped its revenue. Although development is ending, Riot confirmed that the game’s servers will remain online and that the title will continue to be available for free download on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The announcement marks a significant setback for Riot’s expansion beyond PC, as 2XKO represented the company’s biggest foray into console development since porting Valorant in 2024. The game launched in January 2026, but early engagement was limited to specific segments of the fighting game community and did not meet internal targets. In February 2026, Riot laid off half of the development team, a move that served as an early indicator of the title’s struggles to sustain player interest.
To manage the transition, Riot has disabled the ability to purchase KO Points in the in-game store as of 20 August 2026. The company is now processing refunds for in-game purchases made before that date. PC players are expected to receive refunds within two weeks, with all PC refunds ideally completed by November 2026. Console players on PlayStation and Xbox may be contacted by customer support to confirm payment details before refunds are distributed.
Content updates will continue through October 2026, with the final new character, Samira, scheduled for release in patch 1.3.3. Prior to this, patch 1.3.1 will release on 8 September 2026, adding the character Lux and introducing the 2XKO Ultimate Bundle, a $40 package of cosmetics. This update will also remove Ranked lobbies and make all champions available for free, while allowing stages and player profile items to be purchased with earned currency.
Riot noted that while diehard tag fighter players enjoyed the game, most other fighting game players struggled to find reasons to stay engaged. The company stated that engagement remained relatively flat despite larger updates, leading to the conclusion that there was no viable future for active development. Bug fixes may still be released in December 2026 if necessary before the development phase formally concludes.
The situation highlights the challenges of scaling free-to-play titles across multiple platforms. Despite the initial investment and launch across major consoles, the financial disparity between costs and revenue proved decisive. As the game enters its final content phase, players are left with a maintained server environment but no promise of new character additions beyond the current roadmap.
