1047 Games has announced that it will cease active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, and will move both projects to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) hosting model. The decision marks a significant pivot for the studio after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooter experiences.
In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure. While the company had continued to subsidize these costs in the hope that the player bases would eventually grow to a sustainable level, it ultimately concluded that the financial model was "no longer sustainable." "We have loved working on these games, playing them, and building them with this community, and we wish we could continue supporting them," the studio wrote, underscoring the bittersweet nature of the announcement.
Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be shut down. Players will instead rely on a P2P system that utilizes a server browser, allowing them to host their own matches and locate opponents without the need for centralised servers. As part of what the company has termed the "final update" for Empulse, the game will receive one last new map and a price reduction across all regions. This transition mirrors a similar move made with the original Splitgate title, which also shifted to P2P hosting after its dedicated servers were retired last year.
That version of Splitgate remains fully playable today, including on console platforms, demonstrating that a P2P architecture can keep a game alive even after official server support ends. The background to these changes is rooted in a turbulent period for 1047 Games.
Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid considerable controversy, including the release of a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked community backlash. Within a month of launch, the studio announced a round of layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of staff members. A further month later, the game was rolled back to beta status, prompting a second wave of reductions.
Empulse, positioned as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and often described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. Its debut was quickly followed by multiple rounds of layoffs, indicating ongoing financial strain and challenges in scaling the title. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian reflected on the shift in a public statement, noting that after ten years of building live‑service shooters, the studio's focus is evolving. "What we build next may look very different from what people expect from 1047 Games," they said, "but what has not changed is why we are here: we love making games." The founders highlighted the studio's origins, recalling that 1047 Games was founded a decade ago out of a shared passion for video games.
Over that time, more than 25 million players have engaged with their titles, and many of the relationships forged during development have turned into lasting friendships. They emphasized that the lessons learned from a decade of operating live‑service models will inform future projects, even if those projects diverge from the shooter genre. While the announcement did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, it follows a series of layoffs that have already taken place, most recently in July—just weeks after Empulse's early‑access launch. It remains unclear whether the shift to P2P hosting will be accompanied by additional workforce reductions.
The move to peer‑to‑peer hosting is not without its own set of challenges. P2P networks can be more susceptible to latency issues, host advantage, and potential cheating, especially in competitive shooter environments. However, they also eliminate the ongoing cost of server farms, allowing smaller studios to keep games playable without a massive financial burden.
By providing a server browser, 1047 Games aims to give players the tools they need to find stable hosts and maintain a viable matchmaking experience. For the community, the transition means that players who have invested time and money into Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will still be able to enjoy the core gameplay, albeit with a different matchmaking infrastructure. The final map addition for Empulse and the universal price cut are gestures intended to reward loyal fans and encourage continued play despite the loss of official server support.
Looking ahead, the studio has hinted that its next venture could depart significantly from the live‑service shooter formula. While no concrete details have been released, the co‑founders' comments suggest a willingness to explore new genres or business models, potentially leveraging the experience gained from their past decade.
In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, shifting both games to a peer‑to‑peer model as of September 3. This decision reflects broader financial realities and signals a strategic pivot away from live‑service shooters after ten years of operation.
The company promises to carry forward the lessons learned and the passion for game creation into whatever new direction it chooses next.