2XKO would have needed an MAU base “in the high hundreds of thousands, if not millions” to succeed
Riot Games has officially cancelled active development on 2XKO, its competitive fighting game, due to unsustainable economics. According to Marc Merrill, Riot’s co-founder and chief product officer, the game would have required a monthly active user base “in the high hundreds of thousands, if not millions” to justify its live service model—a threshold it never approached.
The cancellation came after the game cost substantially more to operate than it generated in revenue, with engagement remaining relatively flat throughout its development cycle. While Merrill acknowledged that 2XKO resonated with dedicated players and was developed by a talented team that created a quality product, the audience size was ultimately “not nearly enough” to sustain the intended long-tail live service approach.
Timing also played a significant role in the game’s struggles. Street Fighter 6’s successful launch came eight years into 2XKO’s development, arriving with an established player base and industry momentum that made competing in the fighting game space even more challenging. Merrill acknowledged that Riot “had a window to do some great things to really help the fighting game community” but ultimately missed the opportunity to establish 2XKO as a viable alternative in an increasingly competitive genre.
The cancellation reflects broader industry challenges around live service sustainability, particularly for niche genres like fighting games that require specific player engagement patterns and substantial user bases to maintain profitability.