RIOT ENDING 2XKO FIGHTING GAME DEVELOPMENT

INDUSTRY DESK■ 1 MIN READ

THU, AUG 20, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE

Riot Games is shutting down active development on 2XKO, its League of Legends fighting game, by the end of 2026. The free-to-play title failed to retain players after launching in early access beta last October.

Riot cited insufficient player retention as the reason for halting development. The company determined the game lacked a viable path to sustainability with its current player base. Servers will remain operational beyond 2026, giving players continued access to the game. Riot is unlocking all playable characters and offering refunds for in-game purchases. 2XKO entered early access on PC in October 2025 as a 2v2 fighting game featuring League of Legends characters. Despite the title's pedigree and free-to-play model, it failed to build the sustained audience needed for long-term support. Riot Games did not announce plans for the 2XKO IP beyond the server shutdown.

■ SOURCES

► The Verge

■ SUMMARY WRITTEN BY AI FROM THE LINKS ABOVE

■ MORE FROM THE GAMING DESK

P855GAMESCOM OPENING NIGHT LIVE STREAMS MAJOR TITLES

Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase streams a two-hour presentation featuring three major game reveals: Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day, and The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past.

4H AGO— Industry Desk

P838GTA 6 LEAKER RELEASES NEW FOOTAGE, SHOWS DIRECT ACCESS

CyberLeek, the individual behind recent Grand Theft Auto VI leaks, has released additional gameplay footage suggesting direct access to the game. The new material includes a video of a character spelling 'leek' with bullet holes in a wall.

6H AGO— Security Desk

P825FROMSOFT SHIFTS GEARS WITH MULTIPLAYER ACTION GAME

FromSoftware's new title, The Duskbloods, pivots from the studio's signature single-player RPGs to focus on multiplayer combat. The frantic action game emphasizes player interaction across competitive and social mechanics.

8H AGO— Industry Desk

P812NINTENDO PARTNERS WITH FROMSOFTWARE ON SWITCH 2 EXCLUSIVE

Nintendo is departing from its family-friendly image with The Duskbloods, a hardcore multiplayer vampire game developed by Elden Ring creator FromSoftware. The title is a flagship exclusive for the Switch 2.

9H AGO— Industry Desk

◄ BACK TO NEWS

RIOT ENDING 2XKO FIGHTING GAME DEVELOPMENT

■ MORE FROM THE GAMING DESK

■ SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF