1047 Games 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 strategic pivot for the studio after a decade of concentrating on live‑service shooter experiences. In a brief statement posted on X earlier today, the developers explained that neither Empulse nor Splitgate: Arena Reloaded is generating sufficient revenue to sustain the ongoing expenses associated with dedicated server infrastructure.
While the company had continued to subsidize those costs in hopes that the games would eventually 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, underscoring the emotional connection the team feels toward its player base. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for both titles will be deactivated. Players will instead rely on a P2P architecture complemented by a server‑browser interface, allowing them to host matches themselves and locate other participants. As part of the final update for Empulse, the team will release one last new map and apply a universal price reduction across all regions.
This transition mirrors a similar move the studio made with the original Splitgate last year. After its dedicated servers were shut down, Splitgate shifted to P2P hosting and remains functional on PC and console platforms. The precedent suggests that 1047 Games intends to keep the games playable, even if the level of service is reduced. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a storm of controversy.
The launch package featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle, which sparked backlash from parts of the community. Within weeks, the studio announced an undisclosed wave of layoffs, and a month later it reverted the title to a beta state and initiated a second round of staff reductions. The turbulence surrounding Splitgate 2 highlighted the challenges of balancing monetisation, community expectations, and internal stability. Empulse, billed as a 6‑v‑6 movement‑focused shooter and a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026.
Its debut was quickly followed by multiple rounds of layoffs, reflecting the broader financial pressures the studio faces. Despite the hype surrounding its fast‑paced mobility mechanics and futuristic aesthetic, the game struggled to achieve a sustainable player base.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader 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 founders emphasized that the studio's core mission—creating experiences that resonate with players—remains unchanged, even as the business model evolves. The statement did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, though the company has already undergone several rounds of layoffs, the most recent occurring in July, shortly after Empulse's launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will precipitate additional reductions.
In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving both titles to a peer‑to‑peer framework to keep them accessible while cutting the costs of dedicated server maintenance. The shift reflects a larger industry trend where studios reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when revenue fails to meet operational demands. As the studio looks toward its next chapter, fans can expect a departure from the traditional live‑service shooter formula that defined 1047 Games for the past ten years.
The company promises to apply the lessons learned from its past projects to whatever new ventures lie ahead, aiming to deliver fresh, engaging experiences while maintaining the passion that originally drove its founders to create games.