Riot Games is downsizing the 2XKO team, with some members only receiving a 30-minute notice for the layoffs.
Riot Games has unleashed another wave of layoffs within the company, this time hitting the 2XKO devs and team. One particular dev revealed that he only had 30 minutes of advance notice before being laid off — here's what we know.
Riot downsizes 2XKO team due to lack of "overall momentum"
The layoffs were made public through a blog post on the official Riot Games website, which was subsequently shared on their socials.
The post, written by 2XKO executive producer and senior director Tom Cannon, outlined the shift in strategy for the fighting game title and their justification for downsizing the team. This news comes less than a month after the game's official release.
"As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO. The game has resonated with a passionate core audience, but overall momentum hasn’t reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term," wrote Cannon. "With a smaller, focused team, we’re going to dig in and make key improvements to the game, including some of the things we’ve already heard you asking for. We’ll share some of our plans soon."
He also reassured fans that their 2026 timeline remains unchanged and 2XKO will continue to be present in tournaments and communities.
Ultimately, this decision reflects a shift in how we operate. This isn’t a judgment on individual Rioters or a signal that the journey is over. We’re reshaping the team to give 2XKO a more sustainable path forward.
- Tom Cannon, 2XKO executive producer and senior director
It's suggested that nearly half the team, amounting to about 80 members, were affected by the layoffs.
2XKO dev receives 30-minute notice
Patrick Miller, who has been with Riot Games since 2013, said that he got laid off with a 30-minute notice. He first worked on League of Legends as an editor-in-chief from 2013 to 2015, before moving to the 2XKO team as a game designer and senior producer from 2016, before being laid off.
Despite the bitter ending, Miller says he is proud of 2XKO and the team and thanked the FGC for showing him love. It is unknown whether the rest of the team was given a similarly short notice of their dismissals.
Lead champion designer Alex "Blinkity" Jaff also remains proud of the game, particularly for Ekko and his position as the lead of the team.
Cannon thanked the affected team members and will support them after the layoffs. "We’re committed to supporting impacted Rioters through this transition - including helping them explore opportunities within Riot where possible, and providing a minimum of 6 months of notice pay and severance where it’s not."
Understandably, the community was not happy with the news, especially as beloved FGC veterans and mainstays were affected.
The 2XKO calendar has the game popping up in GENESIS X3 from Feb. 13-15, followed by gamescom in mid-March.
