Riot Games’ Canceled Fighting Game Likely Had Little to Do With MultiVersus

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Riot Games' Canceled Fighting Game Likely Had Little to Do With MultiVersus

Highlights

  • Development of Riot Games’ canceled fighting game Pool Party faced internal challenges and transitioned from a competitive to a party game.
  • MultiVersus’ performance issues, including backlash over microtransactions and balancing, likely did not influence Pool Party’s cancelation.
  • The termination of Pool Party may be linked to the prioritization of Riot Games’ upcoming 2XKO, a 2v2 team-based fighting game currently in alpha testing.

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours invested in Riot Games’ iconic titles such as League of Legends, Valorant, and Teamfight Tactics, I can’t help but feel a twinge of both intrigue and disappointment upon hearing about the cancelation of their unannounced fighting game codenamed Pool Party.

Riot Games boasts a long-standing reputation for creating popular games like League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, and Valorant. As they broaden their collection, particularly in the realm of the League of Legends universe, it’s definitely worth monitoring what they have in store next. Regrettably, not every initiative by Riot Games has yielded positive results.

Interestingly enough, work on a fighting game similar to Super Smash Bros, internally referred to as Project Pool Party by Riot Games, came to a stop in July. Despite not being formally announced, rumors hinted at a multiplayer experience where characters from their vast library would engage in battles. Potential participants could have ranged from agents of Valorant to champions of League of Legends and characters from Arcane. However, the suspension of Project Pool Party might not necessarily be tied to the success of MultiVersus. It’s more probable that the two incidents are unrelated.

Riot Games’ Pool Party Went Through Several Changes Before Its Cancelation

MultiVersus’ Poor Performance Was Likely Unrelated to Riot’s Decision

Mikhail Klimentov from The Washington Post reports that the development of the game Pool Party faced numerous hurdles during its creation. Despite the exact schedule not being disclosed, the fighting game, initially designed for the League of Legends series, was initially intended to be highly competitive. However, it eventually morphed into a party game. In contrast, the game MultiVersus does provide a competitive edge through its Ranked Mode, which consists of five divisions. Nevertheless, some players, as indicated by Steam reviews, seem to prefer playing it in a more relaxed setting or with friends.

Apart from its relaunch, the game MultiVersus encountered difficulties, such as criticism over microtransactions and balance problems. It seems that Riot Games understood that a robust character roster wouldn’t guarantee the game’s success by itself. However, attributing MultiVersus’ rocky past to Pool Party’s cancellation may be questionable, although it’s true that platformer fighting games outside established series like Super Smash Bros. often struggle to achieve long-term success.

It seems unlikely that the rocky past of MultiVersus significantly contributed to the cancellation of the Pool Party.

Riot Games’ Canceled Fighting Game Makes 2XKO a Priority, For Better or For Worse

Riot Games' Canceled Fighting Game Likely Had Little to Do With MultiVersus

As a passionate follower of “Pool Party,” I was disheartened to learn about its termination, a decision that seemed to strike a chord with both developers and fans alike. According to insiders, around 70-80 developers were either let go or reassigned from the project. Although Joe Hixson, Leading Corp Comms for Riot Games, emphasized the necessity of continuous experimentation and project evolution in game development, the cancellation of this anticipated fighting game still casts a shadow over both the dedicated development team and its devoted community.

It seems that the cancellation of “Pool Party” might be closely related to the advancement of “2XKO,” a 2v2 team-based fighting game from Riot Games, which is currently undergoing Alpha Lab testing between August 8 and 19. Expected for release in 2025, after almost a decade of investment, “2XKO” was initially announced as “Project L” in 2019. The production process for this game has reportedly been quite challenging. Given the extensive time and resources being dedicated to the upcoming “2XKO,” Riot Games’ only active fighting game project now faces considerable pressure.

It’s surprising that Riot Games was working on two fighting game projects at the same time. Although this could be viewed as an ambitious foray into the genre, it does lead to concerns about resource management and strategic direction. The sudden cancellation of “Pool Party” has indeed left a gap for fans who were excited about seeing characters from different Riot Games worlds interact. However, fans of both League of Legends and fighting games have something to look forward to with the upcoming launch of “2XKO”.

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2024-08-12 03:35