Riot Ends 2XKO Development
Riot Games is ending active development of 2XKO, a fighting game whose in-game cosmetics funded the largest prize pool at Evo 2026, with servers remaining online and the game staying playable and free to download
Riot Games will end active development of 2XKO in December, with the game's servers remaining online beyond 2026 and staying playable and free to download on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The company made the announcement on August 20, stating that two final champions, Lux and Samira, will arrive before a last bug-fix patch in December.
According to the announcement, Riot disabled purchases of KO Points, the game's premium currency, and is refunding KO Points and Starter Edition purchases made prior to August 20. The company cited the game's high operating costs and relatively flat engagement as the reasons for ending active development.
Background
The decision to end active development of 2XKO comes after the game's in-game cosmetics funded the largest prize pool at Evo 2026, with a total of $135,000. This was made possible through the Frame Perfect skin line, which was introduced by Riot in December 2025. The skin line allowed a portion of proceeds to go towards supporting tournament organizers across the world, covering both prize pools and tournament production costs.
Competitive Plans
Riot's competitive plans for 2XKO will continue through 2026, with the company committing to support players and tournament organizers. The Competitive Series will remain unchanged, with prizing for all Major and Challenger events. However, with the revenue share from Frame Perfect skin sales no longer available, the prize money will now come directly from Riot.
The following sanctioned events will take place after the September patch: First Attack in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on October 3 and 4; Evo France in Nice from October 9 to 11; and Battle Coliseum in São Paulo on November 21 and 22, which will be the final Competitive Series event.
Comparison of Prize Pools
The prize pool for 2XKO at Evo 2026 was the largest of any title at the event, with a total of $135,000. This can be compared to the prize pools for other titles at the event, as follows:
| Game | Prize Pool |
|---|---|
| 2XKO | $135,000 |
| Street Fighter 6 | $100,000 |
| Tekken 8 | $70,000 |
The wind-down of 2XKO is also the second cut in six months, following the layoff of around 80 people from the game's team in February. The company has promised to have conversations with community leaders over the next few weeks to discuss the future of the game and its competitive scene.
The removal of ranked play in the September patch, along with battle passes, seasons, and events, will consolidate players into casual lobbies. This change will take place before the final three sanctioned prize events, which will pay out as promised. The larger question for the fighting game community is whether a publisher-funded revenue share that outpaid the genre's established circuits, and then vanished inside a single season, will be seen as a model worth copying or a cautionary tale about who carries the risk when the game underneath it fails.
