Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

Riot Calls Untitled MMO 'The Grail' as 2XKO Enters Wind-Down

Co‑founder Marc Merrill said the studio views the long‑running MMO effort as a high‑risk priority that will test Riot's ability to create and sustain modern live‑service hits.

2XKO wasn't a "mistake," Riot's Marc Merrill says. "We delivered a game that took risks"
Image

Overview

  • On Monday at PAX West, Marc Merrill described Riot's unnamed MMO as the company's internal 'grail' and said the project is a worthy but difficult quest for the studio.
  • Riot has begun winding down active development on the fighting game 2XKO, offering refunds, unlocking content for players, and moving the title into a maintenance roadmap that runs through December 2026.
  • The MMO has no public name or release date, has been in development for years, was at one point led by former Blizzard designer Greg Street, and Merrill has previously suggested a target of shipping before 2030.
  • Merrill blamed the broader challenge on how free‑to‑play live services must win scarce player attention against tens of thousands of annual releases and endless social media content, saying that many things must go right to reach sustainable scale.
  • Players and observers are skeptical after recent closures such as 2XKO, Legends of Runeterra, and changes to Riot Forge, and that distrust could shape how fans, talent and partners judge Riot's future big projects.