1047 Games has announced that it will stop 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 focusing on live‑service first‑person shooters. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the ongoing expense of maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.
While the company had continued to subsidise those costs in the hope that the communities would grow enough to become self‑sustaining, 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 studio wrote. "Unfortunately, the economics simply don’t add up." 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 traditional P2P system, complemented by a server browser that lets users locate and join matches hosted by fellow gamers. To give the community a proper send‑off, Empulse will receive one final map addition and a universal price reduction across all regions, which the company is branding as the game’s "final update." This is not the first time 1047 Games has moved a title from a managed server environment to a P2P setup.
The original Splitgate made the same transition last year after its dedicated servers were retired, and the game continues to be playable on both PC and console platforms. The background to these changes is rooted in a turbulent period for the studio. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy, including the release of a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a high‑priced $145 cosmetic bundle. Within weeks of the launch, the company announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed.
A month later, the title was rolled back to a beta state, prompting a second wave of staff reductions. Empulse, billed as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. Its debut was followed by several rounds of layoffs over the subsequent weeks, underscoring the financial pressures the studio was already feeling. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the recent announcement to signal a broader strategic shift.
"We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," they 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 any specifics about future staffing levels. However, the studio has already undergone multiple layoff cycles, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse’s launch.
It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will trigger additional reductions. From a technical standpoint, the shift to peer‑to‑peer hosting means that players will now act as both client and host for each match.
This model reduces the operating costs associated with running centralized servers but can introduce variability in connection quality, depending on the host’s internet speed and hardware. To mitigate these issues, 1047 Games plans to implement a server‑browser system that will display available hosts, allowing players to select matches with lower latency and higher stability. The final content update for Empulse, which includes the new map, is intended to give the community a fresh experience before the transition.
The universal price cut is also meant to attract new players who may have been hesitant due to the previous cost structure. By lowering the barrier to entry, the studio hopes to maintain an active player base even without the backing of dedicated servers. Industry observers see this move as part of a larger trend where mid‑size developers reassess the sustainability of live‑service models, especially when player retention and monetisation fall short of expectations. Maintaining dedicated servers is a significant expense, and without a steady stream of microtransactions or subscription revenue, many studios find themselves operating at a loss.
For fans of Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, the transition will likely feel like a step back to a more classic multiplayer experience, reminiscent of the early days of online gaming when peer‑to‑peer connections were the norm. While some players may miss the convenience of centralized matchmaking, others appreciate the reduced latency that can come from hosting games locally. Looking ahead, 1047 Games has hinted that its next project could diverge sharply from the live‑service shooter formula that defined its first decade.
The co‑founders emphasized that the company’s core passion—creating enjoyable games—remains unchanged, even if the genre, platform, or business model does not. Whether this signals a move toward single‑player narratives, smaller‑scale multiplayer titles, or entirely new interactive experiences remains to be seen, but the studio’s willingness to adapt suggests it is prepared to explore uncharted territory. In summary, the cessation of active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, combined with the shift to peer‑to‑peer hosting, reflects both financial realities and a strategic reorientation for 1047 Games.
The final update for Empulse, the price reduction, and the server‑browser implementation aim to give the remaining communities a smooth transition. Meanwhile, the studio’s leadership signals that future endeavors may look very different, but will continue to be driven by a love for game creation and the lessons learned over ten years of operating in the live‑service arena.