MMO lesson from 2XKO

I don’t intend to be dramatic, as we know virtually nothing about the game. Direct comparisons are pointless. I do think there is a lesson in the fate of 2XKO:

The Riot “Mass Market F2P model“ is not a one size fits all.

Tag fighters are a niche of a niche genre. You can’t generate revenue from that kind of game the same way you can from a FP shooter or auto chess. It was frankly a moonshot for Riot to expect mass market success.

MMOs are more popular than tag fighters, but we all know their popularity has waned over the years. There is also the inherent issue of Western MMO pursuit of shiny things causing conflict with purchasing said shiny things. Progression matters to an extent, even in MMOs that also sell MTX. I don’t see the current market as strong evidence a MMO running entirely on cosmetic MTX would perform to their expectations. Doubly so given the astronomical cost of developing one.

The optimistic take is: this is proof to Riot that they should tailor a more specific funding model that can mesh their profit goals with the reality of the genre they are entering. The higher investment cost, and the lessons of misapplying full F2P, can help keep the MMO healthier for long term success.