1047 Games announced that it will stop actively developing both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, opting to move the two titles to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) hosting model. The decision is part of a broader strategic pivot away from the live‑service shooter model that the studio has pursued for the past decade. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the company explained that neither title is generating sufficient revenue to offset the ongoing expenses associated with dedicated server infrastructure.
While the studio had continued to subsidise those costs in the hopes that the games would eventually achieve a sustainable player base, it concluded that maintaining the servers 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 announcement read, underscoring the bittersweet nature of the move. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be decommissioned.
Players will instead rely on a P2P architecture complemented by a server‑browser system, allowing them to host their own matches and discover others’ sessions. As a parting gesture, Empulse will receive one final new map and a universal price reduction across all regions, which the studio described as the game’s "final update." This approach mirrors what 1047 Games did with the original Splitgate last year.
After the shutdown of its dedicated servers, Splitgate transitioned to P2P hosting and remains playable on PC and consoles, albeit without the same level of centralized matchmaking that it once offered. Splitgate 2, which launched in June 2025, quickly became a flashpoint for controversy.
The title featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a high‑priced $145 cosmetic bundle, sparking criticism from both players and industry observers. Within a month of release, the studio announced an undisclosed wave of layoffs, and a further reduction in staff followed a month later when the game was rolled back to a beta state and a second round of cuts was implemented. Empulse, marketed as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and positioned as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026.
Its launch was followed by several rounds of layoffs within a matter of weeks, reflecting the turbulent financial environment surrounding the project. Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a shift in the company’s creative direction. "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," they wrote.
The co‑founders reflected on the studio’s origins, noting that they started the company a decade ago out of a love for video games and that more than 25 million players have experienced their titles. They emphasized that the relationships forged over the years have turned many of those players into lifelong friends. The statement did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, though it is known that 1047 Games has already undergone multiple layoff rounds, the most recent occurring in July—just weeks after Empulse’s early‑access debut.
It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will trigger additional reductions. Looking ahead, the studio hinted that its next project could diverge significantly from the fast‑paced, competitive shooter formula that defined its previous releases. While details are still under wraps, the founders suggested that the lessons learned from a decade of operating live‑service games will inform whatever they choose to develop next. This could involve exploring new genres, adopting different monetisation models, or focusing on smaller‑scale experiences that do not rely on costly server infrastructure.
For the community, the transition to peer‑to‑peer hosting means that both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will continue to be playable, but players should expect a shift in how matches are found and hosted. The removal of dedicated servers may introduce higher latency for some users, and the lack of centralized matchmaking could make it more challenging to locate populated games, especially in regions with fewer active players. However, the server‑browser system does give players greater control over the environments they join, and the final map update for Empulse offers a fresh piece of content to explore before the service change.
In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on its two flagship shooters, moving them to a peer‑to‑peer model, and signaling a strategic reorientation away from the live‑service shooter niche. The company’s leadership expressed gratitude toward its community, acknowledged the financial realities that prompted the shift, and hinted at a future that may break away from the expectations built over the past ten years. The next chapter for 1047 Games remains to be written, but the founders’ commitment to creating games they love suggests that whatever comes next will still be driven by passion for the medium.