2XKO Charts High on PlayStation's Top Download List for the Game's Launch
•February 11, 2026
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Why It Matters
Strong download rankings show consumer interest, but the abrupt layoffs signal revenue shortfalls that could reshape Riot’s strategy in the competitive fighting‑game market.
Key Takeaways
- •2XKO ranked #3 free-to-play in US/Canada Jan 2026
- •It placed #10 in Europe free-to-play downloads
- •Beat Fortnite, Roblox rivals despite 11‑day availability
- •Riot announced ~50% staff cuts for 2XKO development
- •No public sales data; revenue impact remains uncertain
Pulse Analysis
The debut of 2XKO, Riot’s first 2v2 fighting game built on the League of Legends universe, arrived amid a crowded free‑to‑play landscape. By securing the third spot on PlayStation’s North American free‑to‑play chart, the title demonstrated that brand recognition can translate into rapid download adoption, especially when paired with a low barrier to entry. This performance is noteworthy because it occurred during the final 11 days of January, a period when many established franchises dominate the charts.
Despite the impressive download metrics, the underlying engagement and monetisation appear weaker than anticipated. Riot’s decision to cut roughly half of the development team suggests that the game’s active user base and in‑game revenue are not meeting internal targets. The layoffs also reflect broader industry pressures where new live‑service titles must quickly prove sustainable momentum or face rapid resource reallocation. Without transparent sales figures from Riot, analysts must rely on indirect indicators such as chart positions and community activity to gauge financial health.
Looking forward, 2XKO’s trajectory will hinge on post‑launch content, cross‑platform support, and competitive positioning against both legacy fighters and emerging free‑to‑play contenders. The case mirrors earlier launches like MultiVersus, which initially topped charts but faltered without a robust long‑term roadmap. For investors and developers, the 2XKO story underscores the importance of aligning download success with effective monetisation strategies and transparent reporting to sustain growth in the volatile gaming market.
2XKO charts high on PlayStation's top download list for the game's launch
After many years of waiting, 2XKO finally hit its full release last month, and while the launch seems to have been softer than Riot Games was hoping for, there is at least one bright spot to look at for the game's initial performance.
Sony recently dropped their top game download charts for January 2026 where 2XKO actually managed to rank quite highly.
You won't find the League of Legends fighting game in the main list of downloads, but it is in their Free to Play listings since that's how PlayStation separates their charts.
On it, 2XKO was the third‑most downloaded free game on the platform in the United States and Canada while being tenth in Europe.
In North America, Riot's new fighter managed to beat out huge titles like Marvel Rivals, Rocket League and Call of Duty: Warzone despite only being available for the last 11 days of the month.
PlayStation Top Free to Play Title Downloads for January 2026 (United States / Canada)
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Fortnite
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Roblox
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2XKO
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Marvel Rivals
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Highguard
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Rocket League
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Call of Duty: Warzone
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Where Winds Meet
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Arknights: Endfield
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Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X – Free Access
While this is a positive sign for the 2v2 title, we'll have to see if that success manages to carry forward in the coming months.
Previously, we saw MultiVersus top the PlayStation chart for its launch month back in 2024, but obviously that didn't last with the game shutting down just a year later.
If 2XKO did launch as a roaring success, Riot Games would have been all over telling the public how well the game is doing.
But instead, the company has been quiet on just how many people have played their League fighting game so far, which indicates that it probably wasn't as many as they wanted to see.
On top of that, Riot just announced yesterday they were laying off nearly half of 2XKO's development team because the game's "overall momentum hasn't reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term."
This obviously isn't great news for a new fighting game, and while staff reductions are very common after a title launches, it sounds like cuts of this size were not in their original plans.
These layoffs are unfortunately impacting a lot of talented and dedicated people in the fighting game community that had poured years of their lives into creating 2XKO, but business always wins out in the end.
2XKO is by no means finished or cooked, however, the remaining team is presumably going to be under even more pressure to perform for the higher ups expecting results.
In better news, Mortal Kombat 1 actually clawed its way back on to the top PS5 games list last month in 20th place, which was likely bolstered by regular sales of the Definitive Edition.
Moreover, Mortal Kombat X came in at 8th place on the PS4 list in North America likely for similar reasons.
Circana's video game market charts could be a more accurate picture as to how much money 2XKO is actually generating, but it seems that Riot doesn't share its digital sales data with the analytic company.
We'll have to wait and see just what the future is going to hold for 2XKO moving forward.
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