1047 Games announced that it will stop active development on both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, moving the two titles to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) hosting model as the studio signals a broader strategic pivot away from live‑service shooter projects after a decade of focus in that space. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the company explained that neither title is generating sufficient revenue to justify the ongoing expense of maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.
While the studio had continued to subsidise those costs in hopes that the games would eventually achieve a sustainable player base, it now acknowledges that this approach has become "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 team feels toward its player base. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be decommissioned.
Both games will switch to a P2P architecture that relies on a server‑browser system, allowing players to host their own matches and discover others’ sessions. As part of what the studio is calling the final update for Empulse, the game will receive one last new map and a universal price reduction across all regions.
This move mirrors the path taken with the original Splitgate, which also transitioned to P2P hosting last year after its dedicated servers were shut down. That version remains fully playable today, including on console platforms, thanks to the community‑driven matchmaking system.
Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy. The title attracted criticism for a "Make FPS Great Again" hat reminiscent of political slogans and for a $145 cosmetic bundle that many felt was excessively priced.
Within a month of release, 1047 Games announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed. A further month later the studio placed the game back into beta status and initiated a second wave of staff reductions. Empulse, marketed as a 6‑v‑6 movement‑focused 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, underscoring the financial pressure the studio has been under.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian said the company’s direction is now "changing" after ten years built around live‑service shooters. They hinted that future projects may look very different from the titles that have defined 1047 Games to date. "We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," the founders 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 public statement did not provide details about the current staffing situation, although the company has already undergone several layoff cycles, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse’s early‑access debut.
It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will precipitate additional reductions. The transition to peer‑to‑peer hosting means that players will now rely on the host's internet connection and hardware to run matches, which can introduce variability in latency and stability compared to the previously centralized server model. However, it also eliminates the recurring cost of server maintenance for the developer, allowing the studio to allocate resources elsewhere or preserve cash flow during a period of financial tightening.
For fans of Empulse, the final map addition offers a small but welcome extension to the game’s limited content roster. The price cut across all regions is intended to make the title more accessible and perhaps attract new players who may have been deterred by the earlier price point.
Nonetheless, without dedicated matchmaking, the community will need to rely on forums, Discord channels, and the new server browser to find matches, which could fragment the player base further. Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will follow a similar path.
The existing player community, which has historically been active on third‑party platforms, will likely continue to organize matches independently. The shift may also open the door for modders and community developers to create custom matchmaking solutions, as has happened with other games that have moved away from official server support. Overall, 1047 Games’ decision reflects a broader industry trend where mid‑size studios reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when revenue fails to meet the high operational costs of dedicated server farms. By moving to a peer‑to‑peer framework, the studio can keep its games alive in a reduced‑cost environment while it contemplates its next creative direction.
The future of 1047 Games remains uncertain, but the founders' statements suggest a willingness to explore new genres or gameplay experiences beyond the shooter niche that has defined them for a decade. Whether that next chapter will resonate with their existing fan base or attract a completely new audience is a question that only time will answer.