Riot Games Ends Active Development on 2XKO, Servers Stay Online
- Sagar Mankar
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Riot Games will end active development on 2XKO by the end of 2026. The studio confirmed the decision on August 20, closing out active updates for its free-to-play 2v2 tag team fighting game.
Servers will stay online indefinitely, so players can keep enjoying online and offline matches on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The call comes down to player retention. According to Riot Games, 2XKO saw a strong launch in January 2026 after PC early access rolled out in late 2025, and fans responded well to new champions, a PvE mode, and competitive events. Even so, the player base never grew large enough to make the game sustainable long-term.
"We evaluated the game’s overall performance—not just revenue, but retention, new players, and engagement—through 2026. We saw positive player reactions through the releases of Akali, Senna, Thresh, The Climb (PVE), and some amazing competitive events throughout the year. Even in these highlight moments, however, we saw no meaningful, sustained change in 2XKO’s trajectory; only a fraction of what it would take to trend toward sustainability. Over time it became clear it would be impossible for us to continue actively developing the game as we are today."
Riot said 2XKO costs far more to run than it earns back, and engagement stayed largely flat even after big content updates landed. Earlier in the year, the studio had already trimmed the development team while trying to find a path forward.
What is Riot planning before the game winds down?
Riot laid out a roadmap for the rest of 2026 to wrap up ongoing work and leave the game in solid shape. Here is what players can expect:
September 8, Patch 1.3.1: New champion Lux joins the roster. Every champion unlocks for free. Ranked mode is removed, folding matchmaking into one casual skill based pool. Battle Passes, KO Points, seasons, and events go away. Many cosmetics and profile items become unlockable with earned Credits. A 39.99 dollar Ultimate Bundle launches, bundling nearly every skin, chroma, taunt, and finisher released so far.
October, Patch 1.3.3: Samira arrives as the final new champion. This marks the last major content drop, and the Ultimate Bundle expands to include the remaining cosmetics.
December, Patch 1.3.5 (optional): A closing bug fix and balance pass if the team decides it is needed.
Riot is also refunding every in-game purchase, including KO Points and the Starter Edition, made on or before August 20, 2026. PC refunds return to the original payment method, while console refunds go through PlayStation or Xbox directly. Players can still spend leftover KO Points until the September patch hits, and anything already owned stays in the player's library for good.
The 2XKO Competitive Series will keep running as planned, with full prize support through its last event in November 2026. After that, tournament organizers are free to host community events under Riot's existing guidelines.
Reactions have been mixed, though mostly disappointed. A lot of players praised the game's polish, its netcode, and how welcoming it felt for newcomers to the genre, calling it a genuine love letter to tag team fighters. Many pointed out that the smaller remaining team had actually made the game stronger since launch, not weaker.
Critics zeroed in on thin marketing, the earlier staff reduction, and how tough it is to build a live service audience for a fighting game in general. Some fans voiced frustration that a title this well received got shelved less than a year after its full release.
Riot said that the team plans to carry lessons from 2XKO into whatever genre it tackles next, saying it will spend time in "the R&D lab" before taking "the next swing at the next genre."
2XKO remains free to download and play right now. For full refund details, check the FAQs page.
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