1047 Games announced that it will cease active development on both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving the two titles to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model as of September 3. The decision marks a clear pivot for the studio after a decade of concentrating on live‑service first‑person shooters. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the company explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.
While the studio had continued to subsidise those costs in an effort to give the titles a chance to grow their player bases, it now finds that approach "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 emotional attachment the developers feel toward their projects and the fans who have supported them. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and the associated matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be shut down.
Players will instead rely on a P2P system that uses a server browser, allowing individuals to host matches themselves and to discover other hosts. To give the community a final boost, Empulse will receive one last new map and a price reduction across all regions as part of what the studio describes as the game's final update. This transition mirrors what 1047 Games did with the original Splitgate last year. After the dedicated servers for that title were decommissioned, the game shifted to a P2P architecture and remains fully playable on PC and console platforms.
The background to these moves is worth noting. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy, including a polarising "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked debate within the community. Within a month of launch, the studio announced a round of layoffs whose size was not disclosed. A further month later, the developers placed the game back into beta and initiated a second round of staff 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 followed by multiple layoff rounds within a matter of weeks, reflecting the financial pressures the studio has been experiencing. Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader strategic shift. After ten years built around live‑service shooters, they said the studio’s focus is "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." The statement did not provide specific details about the current staffing levels, though it is known that the studio has already undergone several layoff cycles, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse's early‑access launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will be accompanied by additional cuts.
In practical terms, the shift to P2P hosting means that players will need to be mindful of the typical challenges associated with that model, such as increased reliance on host performance, potential for higher latency, and the need for a stable internet connection to act as a host. The server browser will replace the automated matchmaking that many players have become accustomed to, giving more control to individuals who wish to create or join games directly. For Empulse fans, the final map addition and the worldwide price drop are intended as a parting gift, offering fresh content and a more affordable entry point before the game settles into its new, community‑driven hosting environment.
Splitgate: Arena Reloaded players, meanwhile, will continue to enjoy the fast‑paced arena combat they know, albeit without the backing of centrally managed servers. Industry observers see 1047 Games' decision as part of a larger trend where mid‑size studios reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when the cost of server maintenance outpaces revenue. The move may also reflect a broader reassessment of how to balance ongoing content updates with sustainable business practices. Looking ahead, the founders hinted that the studio's next venture could diverge significantly from the fast‑paced shooter genre, possibly exploring new mechanics, narrative‑driven experiences, or even different platforms.
While the exact direction remains under wraps, the emphasis on "learning" and "love for making games" suggests a willingness to experiment and adapt. In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, transitioning both titles to peer‑to‑peer hosting on September 3, offering a final map and price cut for Empulse, and signaling a strategic shift away from live‑service shooters after a decade of operation.
The announcement closes one chapter for the studio while opening the door to an uncertain but potentially innovative next phase.