Massive layoffs are announced at Riot Games, impacting 80 staff members from its 2XKO development team, representing about half of the team working on the League of Legends themed fighting game. The shocking decision comes only a few weeks after the game’s public launch.
In a statement, 2XKO executive producer Tom Cannon said the move was driven by lower-than-expected player engagement. “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,” Cannon explained.
The layoffs come as a major shock to many Riot devs, one of whom is a 12-year veteran, given only a 30-minute notice.
Ten years on 2XKO, and I got laid off with 30 minutes notice.” -Patrick Miller
2XKO has been in development for over 10 years tracing its origins back to Radiant Games, a fighting game studio acquired by Riot in 2016.
Despite major layoffs Riot claims the game is not being abandoned. A smaller team will keep working on key improvements and maintaining partnerships with the fighting game community.
Many of the laid off employees are reportedly being offered opportunities to apply for other roles inside the company, with severance packages providing at least six months’ pay for those unable to transition internally.
Riot claims the layoffs will provide 2XKO with a “sustainable path forward”.
