2XKO Development Ending
Riot Games Announces Plans to Cease Active Development on 2XKO by December 2026
Key Points
Lux will debut in patch 1.3.1 on September 8, with the final patch 1.3.3 bringing Samira in October; Riot will also offer the 2XKO Ultimate Bundle for $40 containing nearly all cosmetics, while avatar and profile items become unlockable with in-game credits.
Refunds for purchases made before August 20 are being issued; KO Points purchases are disabled as of August 20, and PC refunds are expected to hit within about two weeks (with November as a target); console refunds may require contacting customer support to verify details.
Riot’s 2XKO rollout included not only the new content but also market-facing context: the game launched for free on PC in January 2026, with PS5/Xbox Series ports following later in 2026, amid stiff competition from established fighting games like Street Fighter VI and Guilty Gear Strive.
Riot disclosed internal staffing impacts tied to 2XKO, noting that the development team was reduced by about half in February as part of the wind-down process.
While online play will continue beyond 2026, Riot cautions it is not guaranteed to stay up indefinitely and will provide advanced notice if that changes.
Riot Games is shutting down active development of 2XKO, its free-to-play fighting game, in December 2026—less than a year after the game launched on PC in January PC Gamer. The company cited insufficient player retention and revenue as the reason, noting that competition from established fighting games like Street Fighter VI and Guilty Gear Strive made long-term sustainability unlikely. Servers will remain online and the game playable on all platforms, but no new content will arrive after the final patch in December.
Final Two Champions and Free Content Unlock
Riot will release two final champions before shutdown: Lux arrives in patch 1.3.1 on September 8, followed by Samira in patch 1.3.3 in October GameSpot. A last bug-fix patch will roll out in December. All champions will be permanently unlocked for free, and the company is offering an Ultimate Bundle for $40 containing nearly every cosmetic skin.
Most cosmetics will become purchasable with in-game credits earned by playing. Battle Passes and seasonal events will shut down. Ranked lobbies will disappear to streamline matchmaking, though casual play continues unaffected Rock Paper Shotgun.
Refunds Rolling Out, KO Points Disabled
Riot is issuing refunds for all purchases made before August 20, 2026. PC refunds should arrive within two weeks, with November as the target date The Gamer. Console players may need to contact customer support to verify payment details before receiving their refunds.
As of August 20, KO Points—the premium currency used to buy cosmetics—can no longer be purchased. Players who bought KO Points before the cutoff will receive monetary refunds. This shift ensures the game becomes largely free-to-play and cosmetic-complete by year-end PushSquare.
Staffing Cuts and Marketplace Competition
Riot cut the 2XKO development team by roughly half in February 2026, reducing headcount by about 80 developers PC Gamer. The fighting game launched free-to-play on PC in January, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series ports arriving later that year. Despite the multiplatform release, the game struggled to build player momentum against genre giants.
Street Fighter VI and Guilty Gear Strive, both established and beloved by fighting game communities, dominated the market. 2XKO's late entry and League of Legends tie-in were not enough to overcome the barrier Rock Paper Shotgun. Offline play remains unaffected by the shutdown, allowing local and single-player modes to run indefinitely.
Online Servers Continue, But No Guarantees
Riot will keep online servers running beyond December 2026, but the company cautioned that indefinite support is not guaranteed GameSpot. If server shutdown becomes necessary, Riot will announce the decision well in advance. Owned cosmetics and unlocked champions persist even if online play ends.
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