Riot lays off roughly half of 2XKO team — about 80

• About 80 employees were laid off from Riot Games’ 2XKO team, roughly half of the group working on the project.
• 2XKO is Riot’s League of Legends–themed fighting game; these cuts significantly reduce the active development workforce.
• The layoffs raise questions about the project’s timeline and Riot’s priorities for expanding beyond League of Legends.
• Riot and the studio’s plans for the remaining team and 2XKO’s future have not been detailed publicly.

What happened

Riot Games has laid off approximately 80 people from the team building 2XKO, the studio’s League of Legends–themed fighting game. According to the information provided, those cuts amount to roughly half of the employees working on the title.

The company has not provided additional details in the supplied material about timing, severance, or whether any parts of the team were reassigned elsewhere within Riot.

Why it matters

Cutting about half of a development team is a major change for any mid- or long-term game project. With a significantly reduced workforce, core production milestones—such as playtesting, feature development, and bug fixing—are likely to be delayed unless Riot reallocates other resources.

For players and stakeholders, the layoffs introduce uncertainty about 2XKO’s schedule and scope. The project was positioned as Riot’s entry into fighting games tied to the League of Legends IP, so changes to the team could affect the company’s broader strategy to expand its portfolio.

What we don’t know

The available facts do not include Riot’s official comment, a timeline for the layoffs, or whether the remaining team will continue full development. There is also no information here about whether the cuts were part of a wider restructuring, budget reprioritization, or a project pivot.

Without confirmation from Riot, it’s unclear if the studio will scale the project back, pause development, or continue with a smaller core team and outside partners.

What to watch next

Look for statements from Riot Games or updates from the 2XKO development team for clarity on timelines, scope, and staff movements. Coverage from trade outlets and job-posting activity at Riot may also reveal whether the company intends to refill roles or shift responsibilities elsewhere.

These layoffs underline the volatility in mid-size game projects and the challenges publishers face when expanding popular IPs into different genres. For now, 2XKO’s future remains uncertain pending further information from Riot.