Riot Games Calls Unnamed MMO 'The Grail' Following 2XKO Shutdown
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill has defended the studio's secretive upcoming MMO as a worthy quest, even as the community questions the studio's live service track record following the sudden shutdown of 2XKO.
Speaking at PAX West, Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill addressed the studio's much-anticipated in-development MMO, referring to the secret project as the company's ultimate grail despite the high stakes. The comments arrive hot on the heels of Riot's decision to sunset its newly launched free-to-play fighting game 2XKO, a move that has left the community questioning the long-term viability of Riot's live service pipeline. Players on social media have voiced growing frustration over years of silence regarding the MMO, noting that the studio has yet to share a single screenshot or concept art piece after half a decade of development.
Addressing the rapid closure of 2XKO, Merrill defended the project and refused to label it a failure, pointing to the intense modern landscape where developers must constantly compete with endless streaming content and thousands of annual Steam releases to capture player attention. Even so, the abrupt end for 2XKO follows a pattern of recent cutbacks at the studio, including the shift in focus for Legends of Runeterra and the closure of the Riot Forge indie publishing label.
For an audience that invests heavily in digital economies, battle passes, and long-term social ecosystems, the pressure is entirely on Riot to prove its upcoming MMO can survive in a crowded genre. While Merrill maintains that the studio's drive to serve players remains unchanged, the community's skepticism highlights a broader fatigue with live service volatility across PC and console gaming today.
Tags: Riot Games, MMO, 2XKO, PC Gaming, Live Service
Original article: Eurogamer