1047 Games has announced that it will cease active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. The company also revealed that, as of September 3, both games will move from dedicated server infrastructure to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model, reflecting a broader strategic pivot away from the live‑service shooter model that has defined the studio for a decade.
In a brief statement posted on X earlier today, the studio explained that neither title has been able to generate sufficient revenue to offset the ongoing expenses associated with maintaining dedicated servers. While 1047 Games continued to subsidise those costs in hopes that the games might eventually achieve a sustainable player base, the financial reality has now reached a point where the model is "no longer sustainable," according to the developers. "We have loved working on these games, playing them, and building them with this community, and we wish we could continue supporting them," the announcement read. The sentiment underscores the emotional connection the team feels toward the projects, even as business considerations force a change in direction.
Effective September 3, the dedicated server back‑ends and the associated matchmaking services for both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be shut down. Players will instead rely on a P2P architecture that utilizes a server browser, allowing individuals to host their own matches and discover others' sessions. To give the community a proper send‑off, Empulse will receive one final map addition and a price reduction across all regions as part of what the studio has labeled the game's "final update." This is not the first time 1047 Games has transitioned a title to a P2P framework.
The original Splitgate made the same shift last year after its dedicated servers were retired, and the game remains fully playable on PC and consoles under the new model. That earlier migration set a precedent for how the studio can keep a title alive without the overhead of server farms. The background to these decisions is rooted in a turbulent period for the studio.
Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy, most notably the inclusion of a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that drew criticism from both players and industry observers. Within weeks of launch, 1047 Games announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed publicly. A further month later, the company placed the title back into beta status and initiated a second wave of staff reductions, signaling deep operational challenges. Empulse, billed as a 6‑vs‑6 movement‑focused shooter and often described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026.
The title's debut was quickly followed by multiple rounds of layoffs, reflecting the same financial pressures that have plagued Splitgate 2. Despite the hype surrounding its fast‑paced combat and parkour‑style traversal, the game struggled to attract a large enough audience to justify the costs of dedicated server maintenance.
Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to articulate a shift in the studio's long‑term vision. After ten years of building live‑service shooters, they said the company's focus is now "changing," and that future projects may look very different from what fans have come to expect from 1047 Games.
"We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," the co‑founders wrote. "Since then, more than 25 million people have played our games, and many of the people we've met along the way have become lifelong friends.
After ten years of focusing on live‑service shooters, our focus is changing. What we build next may look very different from what people expect from 1047 Games, but what has not changed is why we are here: we love making games.
We have learned a lot over the years, and we will carry those lessons into what we build next." While the statement did not provide specific details about the current staffing situation, it is worth noting that 1047 Games has already undergone several rounds of layoffs, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse's launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will trigger additional reductions or if the studio will stabilize its workforce as it re‑orients its development pipeline.
In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active work on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving both titles to a peer‑to‑peer hosting model to keep them playable without the expense of dedicated servers. The decision reflects broader financial pressures and a strategic decision to move away from the live‑service shooter formula that has defined the studio for the past decade. The company promises a final content update for Empulse and hints at a new, as‑yet‑undefined direction for future projects, emphasizing a continued passion for game creation despite the recent challenges.