Riot Games
Riot Games business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
2XKO wasn't a "mistake," Riot's Marc Merrill says. "We delivered a game that took risks"
Riot Games Co-Founder Marc Merrill stated that 2XKO was not a mistake, but a game that took risks, despite its development ending. He acknowledged the challenges of the fighting game market and the difficulty of sustaining live service titles in a competitive landscape. While 2XKO did not achieve critical mass, Merrill expressed pride in the team's effort and commitment to taking big swings with future projects.
"Many a brave knight are going to die" - Riot Games head Marc Merrill speaks on in-development MMO after 2XKO's untimely demise
Riot Games CPO Marc Merrill discussed the studio's in-development MMO, calling it "the grail" despite the recent shutdown of its fighting game 2XKO. While Merrill expressed optimism and commitment to the ambitious project, public sentiment is skeptical due to 2XKO's short lifespan and other Riot Games live service titles facing similar fates.
Riot Co-Founder Calls League of Legends MMO the 'Grail' Quest, 5 Years After It Was Announced
Riot Games co-founder Mark Merrill described the studio's long-in-development MMO, based on the League of Legends universe, as its "grail quest." The project was first announced approximately five years ago.
Riot Games knows its MMO is a big risk. "But f*** it, it's The Grail, so let's go."
Riot Games is proceeding with its ambitious MMORPG project, acknowledging the genre's high failure rate and calling the endeavor 'The Grail.' Despite a recent project reset and the cancellation of its fighter 2XKO due to sustainability concerns, studio co-founder Marc Merrill expressed confidence in the team's ability to execute and deliver a worthy experience.
Fall’s Video Game Release Slate Is Intimidatingly Good And Completely Doomed
The Fall 2026 video game release schedule is packed with highly anticipated titles, but this glut is predicted to cause a 'bloodbath' in the industry. Intense competition for consumer dollars and a worsening global economy are expected to lead to significant underperformance, layoffs, and potential studio closures, particularly for smaller developers. Even major publishers may struggle to navigate the crowded market, with few likely to emerge unscathed.
Inside Tencent's long-term strategy: live service, AI tools, and evergreen titles
Tencent's long-term strategy for its global games division centers on building sustainable communities through live service titles and evergreen IPs, alongside investing in high-quality talent and synergistic partnerships. The company is also embracing AI as a tool to enhance developer efficiency and iteration, rather than replace human roles, while navigating challenges in global integration and outsourcing.
League Classic patch 3 is its "biggest yet," with five new champions
Riot Games has announced that League of Legends Classic patch 3 will be its largest update yet, introducing five new champions: Fiora, Galio, Poppy, Shyvana, and Xin Zhao. Game Designer David 'Phreak' Turley stated that these champions will feature their older, distinct kits from earlier seasons. The patch also includes balance adjustments for existing champions and is expected to release on Wednesday, September 9.
The Blood of Dawnwalker review: Protect ya neck
The Blood of Dawnwalker from Rebel Wolves offers an ambitious take on the action RPG genre, blending vampire themes with a narrative structure that emphasizes player choice and consequence. Despite some frustrating combat and movement issues, the game's engaging story, strong voice acting, and impactful decisions make it a compelling experience.
Riot wants to keep taking "risks" with Valorant. That's why its still alive in 2026
Valorant has maintained its relevance in the competitive FPS landscape through consistent content updates, unique agent designs, and a strong esports presence. Riot Games' commitment to innovation and community fostering has allowed the game to thrive despite the launch of competitors like Overwatch 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The game's blend of tactical shooter and hero shooter elements, coupled with its vibrant art style, continues to attract and retain players.
Now Playing at SUPERJUMP, Issue 43
This issue of Now Playing at SUPERJUMP features a diverse range of games, including a nostalgic return to League of Legends Classic, the Super Bomberman Collection on Switch, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues to be a beloved experience across multiple platforms thanks to its robust cross-save functionality.
Reading the Meta: Which Skin Aesthetics Hold Community Favor Long-Term
This analysis explores the psychological design of virtual economies in live-service games, contrasting Blizzard's Overwatch 2 coin system with Grinding Gear Games' orb-based economy in Path of Exile. It argues that proprietary currencies reduce the 'pain of paying' and discusses how these principles have influenced other digital sectors like crypto and loyalty programs.
Recension – Half-Life
This review examines Half-Life, a seminal first-person shooter released in 1998 by Valve. Despite its age, the game is praised for its innovative storytelling without cutscenes, immersive audiovisual design, and player freedom. While acknowledging minor issues like pathfinding for NPCs and the design of the Xen planet, the article concludes that Half-Life remains a masterpiece and is still highly enjoyable today, having inspired numerous games and mods like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress, and ultimately leading to the creation of Steam.
It looks like Riftbound is getting a digital client, thanks to now deleted job posting
A now-deleted job posting from a Riot Games recruiter suggested the development of a digital client for the trading card game Riftbound. While the posting was removed, it aligns with previous discussions by the development team about the benefits of a digital version, such as improved tutorials and rule clarifications, while aiming to preserve the in-person social aspect of the game.
LoLdle Answers Today (August 27, 2026)
LoLdle is a daily puzzle game that tests players' knowledge of League of Legends champions through various modes, including classic guessing, voice line recognition, ability icon identification, emoji decoding, and splash art reveals. The game provides feedback on champion attributes like release year, region, and role to help players deduce the correct answer.
There's a good chance we're getting more K/DA soon, as the League of Legends superstars register a new song
A new song registration for the virtual band K/DA, known from League of Legends, suggests a potential music release is imminent. The track, titled 'Watch Me,' was registered with ASCAP, indicating new content from the popular K-pop inspired group is likely on the horizon. This follows a period of silence from K/DA and a mention of a 'biggest musical event yet' in a Teamfight Tactics video.
LoLdle Answers Today (August 26, 2026) - Emoji, Quote & More
This article provides the daily answers for the League of Legends-themed puzzle game, LoLdle, for August 26, 2026. It details the solutions for the Classic, Quote, Ability, Emoji, and Splash Art modes, identifying champions like Lux, Viktor, Brand, Alistar, and Sylas. The guide also explains the mechanics of each LoLdle mode.
Riot Games is winding down 2XKO active development in December
Riot Games is ceasing active development of its fighting game, 2XKO, in December, though content updates will continue until the end of 2026. The studio cited a lack of sustained player engagement and the high operational costs of the free-to-play title as reasons for the decision. Servers will remain online for the foreseeable future, and all in-game purchases will be refunded.
LoLdle Answers Today (August 25, 2026) - Emoji, Quote & More
This article provides the daily answers for the League of Legends-themed word puzzle game, LoLdle, for August 25, 2026. It breaks down the solutions for the Classic, Quote, Ability, Emoji, and Splash Art modes, identifying champions like Nunu & Willump, Blitzcrank, Nami, Irelia, and Jhin based on clues.
The people of video games on what gives them cause for hope
Industry professionals share their reasons for optimism despite current challenges, highlighting the resilience of game developers, the innovation within the indie scene, the growing cultural impact of games, and the enduring passion of players. They emphasize community support, creative freedom, and the potential for new ideas to emerge from difficult times, suggesting a bright future for the medium.
Azuki TCG Sends Its Next Regional to Peoria, Registration Now Open for Oct. 24
Azuki TCG has announced its next Garden Arena Regional tournament will be held on October 24 at the Peoria Civic Center, with registration now open via RK9.gg. The event features a $10,000 cash prize pool, serialized prize cards, and 16 spots in the 2027 Azuki Invitational. This follows a successful, sold-out debut regional in Pasadena, California.
