Six Flags has permanently closed its X2 roller coaster, turning a celebrated attraction into the center of a widening dispute over ride safety, alleged brain injuries and corporate responsibility.

The decision at Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, follows months of claims from former riders and lawsuits filed by attorneys representing people who say the ride caused serious harm. X2, which could reach 76 mph while rotating passengers 360 degrees, had been shut since July. A CNN investigation reported that two riders suffered brain hemorrhages that month; one, Los Angeles resident Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, remains hospitalized in a semi-conscious state, according to her lawyers. At least two deaths have also allegedly been linked to the ride. More than 100 people have reportedly said they were injured, while lawyers described X2 as “defective” and accused Six Flags of failing to provide adequate warnings.¹

The injury-focused account presents the closure as the consequence of mounting allegations and litigation. The more narrowly framed retirement announcement emphasizes that the ride was closed for several months and that riders merely “allege” brain injuries, placing the claims rather than their legal resolution at the center of the story.² That distinction matters: the allegations remain contested, but the company’s decision effectively acknowledges that public confidence has become a business risk.

Six Flags president Brian Oerding said X2 had “consistently passed a multitude of safety tests,” yet added that the company closed it because “we believe it’s the right thing to do.”¹ The company also pointed to the ride’s popularity, saying it had welcomed more than 16 million guests since opening in 2008. The contrast is stark: Six Flags defends the coaster’s operational record while accepting that reported injuries and the resulting lawsuits have made continued operation untenable.