1047 Games has announced that it will stop further development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. The decision comes as the studio moves away from the live‑service shooter model that has defined its output for the past decade. Starting on September 3, both games will abandon their dedicated‑server infrastructure and will instead rely on peer‑to‑peer networking, allowing players to host matches themselves via a built‑in server browser.
In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers explained that neither Empulse nor Splitgate: Arena Reloaded were generating sufficient revenue to offset the ongoing expenses of maintaining dedicated servers. The studio had continued to subsidise those costs in the hope that the titles would eventually achieve a sustainable player base, but it now acknowledges that this approach is "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.
"Unfortunately, the financial realities force us to make a change." The transition to peer‑to‑peer will involve shutting down the existing matchmaking and server back‑ends on September 3. Players will still be able to find opponents, but they will do so through a server browser that lists active hosts rather than through the studio‑run matchmaking system.
As part of what the company has dubbed the "final update" for Empulse, the game will receive one last new map and a universal price reduction across all regions, giving fans a small token of appreciation before the service changes take effect. This is not the first time 1047 Games has moved a title to a peer‑to‑peer model. The original Splitgate made the same shift last year after its dedicated servers were taken offline.
That version remains fully playable today on PC and console, proving that the studio can keep a game alive without the expense of rented server space. The background to these moves is rooted in a turbulent period for the company. Splitgate 2, released in June 2025, quickly became a lightning rod for controversy.
The launch included a "Make FPS Great Again" hat reminiscent of political slogans and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked backlash among players. Within weeks, 1047 Games announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed. A month later the studio placed the title back into beta and announced a second wave of staff reductions, further destabilising the project. Empulse, billed as a 6‑v‑6 movement shooter and 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 feeling the strain of under‑performing revenue streams. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader strategic pivot. "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 specifics about current staffing levels, but it is known that the studio has already undergone several layoff cycles, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse launched.
It remains uncertain whether the September transition will trigger additional reductions. Industry observers note that the shift away from dedicated servers reflects a larger trend among mid‑size developers who struggle to sustain the high operational costs of live‑service infrastructures without a massive, consistently paying player base. By moving to peer‑to‑peer, 1047 Games can keep the games playable while drastically cutting overhead, albeit at the expense of the polished matchmaking experience that many players expect. For fans of Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, the news is bittersweet.
While the titles will continue to function, the loss of dedicated servers may affect latency, stability, and the ease of finding matches, especially for players in regions with fewer active hosts. The final map for Empulse and the price cut serve as a modest goodwill gesture, but they also underscore that the studio is winding down official support.
Looking ahead, 1047 Games has hinted that its next project could diverge significantly from the live‑service shooter formula. The founders emphasized that their core passion—creating games—remains unchanged, suggesting that future releases may explore new genres, platforms, or business models. Whether this pivot will restore the studio’s financial health or attract a fresh audience remains to be seen, but the company’s willingness to openly acknowledge its challenges and adapt its strategy may prove vital in navigating the competitive landscape of modern game development.