1047 Games has announced that it will cease active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. The studio also revealed that, as of September 3, both games will move from dedicated server infrastructure to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model, marking a significant strategic pivot after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooters. In a brief statement posted on X earlier today, the company explained that the revenue generated by the two titles no longer covers the ongoing expenses associated with maintaining dedicated servers and matchmaking services.
While the team had continued to subsidise these costs in the hope that the games would eventually achieve a sustainable player base, the studio concluded that this approach had 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. The sentiment underscores the emotional attachment the developers have to their projects, even as business realities force a change in direction.
Effective September 3, the dedicated server back‑ends for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be decommissioned. Players will instead rely on a P2P system that uses a server browser to locate and join matches hosted by other community members.
This shift allows the games to remain playable without the overhead of centrally managed servers. As part of what the studio termed the "final update" for Empulse, the team will also release one last new map and apply a price reduction across all regions, giving existing players a modest bonus before the transition.
The decision mirrors a similar move made with the original Splitgate title last year. After its dedicated servers were shut down, the game transitioned to P2P hosting and continues to be accessible on PC and console platforms.
That precedent suggested a viable path for keeping older live‑service titles alive even when the financial model no longer supports traditional server maintenance. Splitgate 2, released in June 2025, quickly became a lightning rod for controversy. The launch featured a "Make FPS Great Again" hat reminiscent of political slogans, and a high‑priced cosmetic bundle priced at $145.
Within weeks, 1047 Games announced a wave of layoffs, the exact number of affected staff remaining undisclosed. A month later the studio placed the title back into beta mode and initiated a second round of staff reductions, further highlighting the turbulent environment surrounding the project. 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 rounds of layoffs within a matter of weeks, indicating that the studio was already grappling with staffing challenges even before the recent announcement. Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the opportunity to articulate a broader shift in the company's vision. After ten years of building live‑service shooters, they said the studio’s focus is "changing" and that future projects may look dramatically different from anything previously associated with 1047 Games. They emphasized that the core motivation—"we love making games"—remains unchanged, and that the lessons learned over the past decade will inform whatever comes next.
"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 public statement did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, though it is known that 1047 Games has already undergone several rounds of layoffs, the most recent occurring in July, shortly after Empulse's launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest development—shutting down dedicated servers and ending active development—will precipitate additional reductions. From a broader industry perspective, the move reflects a growing trend where mid‑size studios reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when server costs outpace revenue.
Peer‑to‑peer hosting, while less reliable than dedicated infrastructure, offers a cost‑effective alternative that can extend a game's lifespan without the need for continuous financial input. For players, the transition means that matchmaking may become less seamless, and game performance could vary depending on the quality of host connections. However, the inclusion of a server browser gives the community tools to find stable hosts and maintain a functional multiplayer environment.
The final map addition and price cut for Empulse serve as a goodwill gesture, aiming to reward loyal fans and encourage continued engagement despite the technical shift. In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving both titles to a peer‑to‑peer architecture as of September 3. The decision is driven by unsustainable server costs, ongoing financial pressures, and a strategic desire to explore new directions beyond live‑service shooters.
While the future of the studio remains uncertain, the founders reaffirm their passion for game creation and hint at a potentially different creative path ahead.