1047 Games has announced that it will stop active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, and will move both projects to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model. The decision marks a significant 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 developers explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure. While the company had continued to subsidize those costs in the hope that the player bases would eventually expand enough to become self‑sustaining, it now acknowledges that this approach has become financially untenable.
"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. "Unfortunately, the economics no longer work in our favor." Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be shut down. Players will instead rely on a P2P system that uses a built‑in server browser, allowing anyone with a copy of the game to host a match and invite others. To give the community a final boost, Empulse will receive one last map addition and a universal price reduction across all regions, which the studio has labelled the "final update" for the title.
This transition mirrors the path taken with the original Splitgate, which also moved to P2P hosting after its dedicated servers were retired last year. That earlier shift proved viable, as the game remains fully playable on PC and consoles despite the loss of centralized matchmaking. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy. The marketing campaign featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a premium cosmetic bundle priced at $145, which sparked debate within the gaming community.
Within weeks of release, 1047 Games announced a round of layoffs whose size was not disclosed. A month later the studio pushed the title back into a beta state and initiated a second wave of staff reductions, further underscoring the financial strain the project was placing on the company. Empulse, positioned as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and described by its creators as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. The launch was quickly followed by multiple rounds of layoffs, reflecting a pattern of overextension that the studio now appears ready to abandon.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader shift in the company's creative direction. "We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," they 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 specifics about the current staffing situation, but it is worth noting that the studio has already undergone several rounds of layoffs, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse's early‑access debut. Whether the latest announcement will trigger additional reductions remains uncertain. Industry observers see this move as part of a larger trend where mid‑size developers reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when server costs outpace player revenue.
By shifting to P2P hosting, 1047 Games reduces its operational overhead while still offering a functional multiplayer experience for existing fans. However, the change also places greater responsibility on players to host stable sessions, which can affect matchmaking quality and overall game performance. Looking ahead, the studio's leadership has hinted that future projects could explore genres or delivery models that differ from the high‑maintenance, constantly updated shooter format they have become known for.
This could involve single‑player narratives, smaller‑scale co‑op experiences, or even ventures outside the shooter space entirely. The exact nature of these upcoming titles remains under wraps, but the founders' emphasis on "love making games" suggests a renewed focus on creative passion over pure monetisation. For now, fans of Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded can continue to enjoy the games through community‑hosted matches, albeit without the polish and convenience of dedicated server matchmaking. The final map for Empulse and the price cut serve as a parting gift, offering a modest incentive for players to keep the community alive as the studio embarks on its next chapter.