RiotGames has a long history of developing successful games, including League of Legends, Teamfight TacticsAnd BraveAs the developer continues to expand its portfolio, especially in League of Legends Universe, the current and future projects of Riot Games are definitely worth seeing. Unfortunately, despite the numerous successes, not all ventures were crowned with success.

Remarkably, the development of Riot Games’ Smash Bros.-inspired platform fighting game codenamed Pool partywas halted in July. Although the game was never officially announced, reports suggest that it would have featured characters from the studio’s extensive roster competing against each other. This could have included a clash of iconic characters from across the developer’s universe, such as Brave Agents and Champions of League of Legends And Arcane. Although there is speculation that Pool partyCancellation of MultiVersus‘ performance, it is unlikely that the two events are meaningfully related.

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Riot Games’ Pool Party went through several changes before being canceled

MultiVersus’ poor performance probably had nothing to do with Riot’s decision

According to Mikhail Klimentov of the Washington Post: Pool party encountered numerous internal challenges during the production process. Although the project’s schedule was never publicly announced, the fighting game, which is set in the League of Legends Franchise, was originally intended as a very competitive game before being converted into a party game. While MultiVersus While it offers a competitive aspect with its Ranked mode consisting of five divisions, several players find the game more enjoyable when playing casually or with friends, according to Steam reviews.

Additionally, MultiVersus faced challenges after the relaunch, including backlash over microtransactions and balance issues. Given the significant overlap in recognizable characters between Riot Games and Warner Bros. Interactive, Riot Games seems to have realized that a strong roster alone would not guarantee the game’s success. However, it is not possible to claim that MultiVersus‘ eventful history played a major role in Pool partyIt is questionable whether the release will ultimately be discontinued, even if long-term success for platform fighting games outside of senior series such as Super Smash Bros.

Riot Games’ canceled fighting game makes 2XKO a priority, for better or for worse

The termination of Pool party was met with frustration from both developers and fans. Insiders claim that around 70-80 developers were removed or transferred from the project. While Joe Hixson, Leading Corp Comms for Riot Games, stated that game development involves constant experimentation and project iteration, the cancellation of the fighting game remains a disappointment for both the development team and its community.

In particular, the abolition of Pool party seems more related to the progression of 2XKORiot Games’ League of Legends Team-based 2v2 fighting game. The title is currently in Alpha Lab testing from August 8th to 19th and is scheduled to be released in 2025 after almost a decade of investment. Announced in 2019 under the name Project Lit seems to have gone through a demanding production process. Due to the considerable amount of time and resources invested in the upcoming title, 2XKO is now under considerable pressure as it is the only fighting game currently being actively developed by the company.

It is strange that Riot Games was developing two fighting game projects at the same time. While such an endeavor could be seen as an ambitious exploration of the genre, it also raises questions about resource allocation and strategic focus. The unexpected cancellation of Pool party has undoubtedly left a gap among fans who would love to see their favorite characters in the Riot Games universe. Fortunately, League of Legends Fans and fighting game enthusiasts can still look forward to the upcoming release of 2XKO.

League of Legends

League of Legends is one of the best MOBAs in the world, allowing players to compete against each other or bots in a variety of game modes. There are plenty of champions to choose from in LoL, including favorites like Yasuo, Graves, Nasus, Poppy, and more, and new champions like Vex and Viego have recently joined the crew.

Systems

franchise

League of Legends

Released

27 October 2009

Multiplayer

Online multiplayer

Motor

Proprietary

ESRB

T for Teens: Blood, fantasy violence, mildly suggestive themes, consumption of alcohol and tobacco

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