1047 Games has 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. The decision is part of a broader strategic pivot away from the live‑service shooter model that the studio has pursued for the past decade. In a brief statement posted on X earlier today, the company explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.
While the studio had continued to subsidize those costs in an effort to give the titles a chance to grow their player bases, it has now reached a point where that 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 post read, underscoring the disappointment felt by the development team. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be deactivated. Players will instead rely on a P2P system that includes a server browser, allowing them to host their own matches and locate others who are doing the same.
As a final gesture, Empulse will receive one last new map and a universal price reduction across all regions, which the studio has labeled the game's "final update." This move mirrors what 1047 Games did with the original Splitgate earlier last year. After its dedicated servers were shut down, the original title shifted to a P2P architecture and remains fully playable on PC and consoles.
The pattern suggests the studio is opting to keep its games accessible without the ongoing financial burden of centralized server farms. Splitgate 2, released in June 2025, quickly became embroiled in controversy. The launch featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked backlash within the community. Within a month of release, the studio announced layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of staff members.
A further month later, the game was rolled back to a beta state, prompting a second wave of layoffs. Empulse, billed as a 6v6, high‑mobility shooter and positioned as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. Its debut was followed by several rounds of staff reductions within weeks, reflecting the financial pressures the studio has been facing. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian commented on the shift in direction, stating that after ten years of concentrating on live‑service shooters, the company's focus is now "changing" and that future projects may look very different from what fans have come to expect from 1047 Games.
"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 announcement did not provide details about current staffing levels, although the studio has already undergone multiple layoff rounds, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse's early‑access launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest statement signals additional reductions. By transitioning to peer‑to‑peer hosting, 1047 Games hopes to keep both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded playable for their existing communities while eliminating the recurring costs of server maintenance. This approach also grants players more control over match settings and may foster a more grassroots, community‑driven environment.
However, P2P hosting can introduce challenges such as increased latency, reliance on host stability, and potential security concerns, which the studio will need to monitor. Industry observers note that the shift reflects a growing trend among mid‑size developers to reassess the viability of live‑service models, especially when player retention and monetization fall short of expectations.
Maintaining dedicated servers for a shooter that struggles to attract a stable player base can become a financial sinkhole, prompting studios to either pivot to a different genre or adopt lower‑cost hosting solutions. For fans of Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, the news is bittersweet. While the end of active development means no new features, balance patches, or major content updates will be forthcoming, the games will remain accessible through the new P2P system. The final map for Empulse and the price cut are intended as a parting gift, giving players a chance to experience the game one last time before the community gradually winds down.
Looking ahead, 1047 Games has hinted that its next venture could diverge significantly from the fast‑paced shooter formula that defined its brand. The co‑founders emphasized that their core passion—creating games—remains unchanged, suggesting that future projects may explore new genres, platforms, or business models. Whether the studio will return to the shooter space in a different capacity, or venture into entirely new territory, remains to be seen. In summary, 1047 Games is ending active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, shifting both titles to peer‑to‑peer hosting on September 3, offering a final map and price reduction for Empulse, and signaling a strategic move away from live‑service shooters after a decade of focus.
The company's future direction is still uncertain, but its leadership assures that the love of game‑making will continue to drive whatever comes next.