1047 Games announced that it will stop active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, and will move both games to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) hosting model. The decision marks a strategic pivot for the studio after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooter experiences.
In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the company explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the ongoing expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure. While the studio had continued to fund those servers in the hopes that the titles would eventually achieve a sustainable player base, it now acknowledges that this approach is "no longer viable." "We have loved working on these games, playing them, and building them with this community, and we wish we could continue supporting them," the post read, underscoring the disappointment felt by the development team.
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 users to host their own matches and locate others who are doing the same. To give the community a proper send‑off, Empulse will receive a final map addition and a universal price reduction across all regions as part of what the studio has dubbed the game's "final update." This is not the first time 1047 Games has transitioned a title to peer‑to‑peer hosting. The original Splitgate made the same switch last year after its dedicated servers were retired, and the game remains fully playable on PC and consoles through the new P2P framework.
Splitgate 2, released in June 2025, quickly became embroiled in controversy. The launch featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that drew criticism from many quarters. Within a month of release, the studio announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed. A further month later, the company rolled the title back into a beta state and initiated a second wave of staff reductions, signaling deeper challenges in the project's trajectory.
Empulse, positioned as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and often described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. The title generated excitement for its fast‑paced parkour mechanics and high‑skill gunplay, but it too was followed by multiple rounds of layoffs within weeks of its debut. The rapid staffing cuts suggested that the game was not meeting the financial expectations set by the studio.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to outline a broader shift in the company's direction. After ten years of building live‑service shooters, they indicated that the next projects from 1047 Games could look markedly different from anything the community has previously associated with the brand.
"We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," the founders said. "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." The statement did not provide specifics about the current staffing situation, though it is known that 1047 Games has already undergone several layoff rounds, the most recent occurring in July, shortly after Empulse launched. It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will trigger additional reductions.
Industry analysts see this move as part of a larger trend where mid‑size studios reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when server costs outpace revenue. By shifting to peer‑to‑peer hosting, 1047 Games can dramatically cut operational expenses while still offering players a way to enjoy the games. However, the change also places more responsibility on the community to organize matches and may affect the overall stability and matchmaking speed that dedicated servers provided. For players, the transition means that from September 3 onward, they will need to manually select servers from a browser, similar to the system used in many classic multiplayer titles.
The final map update for Empulse is expected to arrive shortly before the cut‑over, giving fans a fresh piece of content to explore before the dedicated infrastructure is retired. Looking ahead, 1047 Games has hinted that its future endeavors might explore different genres or delivery models, perhaps focusing on single‑player experiences, smaller co‑op projects, or games that rely less on continuous online services.
While the exact nature of these upcoming projects remains under wraps, the founders' emphasis on passion and learning suggests a willingness to experiment and adapt. In summary, 1047 Games is ending active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving both titles to a peer‑to‑peer architecture as of September 3.
The decision reflects financial realities surrounding server costs and signals a strategic shift away from the live‑service shooter formula that defined the studio for a decade. Fans can look forward to a final map for Empulse, a universal price drop, and the continued ability to play both games via the new P2P system, while the studio prepares for an uncertain but potentially innovative next chapter.