1047 Games has announced that it will stop active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. Beginning on September 3, the studio will retire the dedicated‑server infrastructure for both games and move them to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) model with a built‑in server browser, allowing players to continue creating and joining matches on their own machines. The decision marks a clear pivot for the company after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooter experiences.
In a brief post on X earlier today, the developers explained that the revenue generated by Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded no longer covered the ongoing expenses of maintaining dedicated servers. While the studio had previously subsidised those costs in an effort to give the games a chance to grow their player bases, it now finds that approach "no longer sustainable." The statement expressed genuine affection for the projects, noting, "We have loved working on these games, playing them, and building them with this community, and we wish we could continue supporting them." To smooth the transition, the final update for Empulse will introduce a brand‑new map and implement a price reduction across all regions.
Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will retain its existing content, but both titles will lose the official matchmaking services that relied on the studio’s server farms. Instead, the new P2P system will let players host their own sessions and locate opponents through a server‑browser interface, a method the studio previously adopted for the original Splitgate when its dedicated servers were shut down last year. That earlier migration proved viable, as the original Splitgate remains playable on PC and consoles despite the loss of centralised servers. The background to this shift is rooted in a turbulent period for 1047 Games.
Splitgate 2, released in June 2025, quickly became embroiled in controversy. The launch featured a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a high‑priced $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked backlash across the gaming community. Within weeks, the company announced a wave of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed publicly.
A month later, the title was rolled back to a beta state, prompting a second round of staff reductions. The instability surrounding Splitgate 2 underscored the financial pressures the studio was facing. Empulse, marketed as a 6‑vs‑6 movement shooter and often described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. Its launch was followed by multiple rounds of layoffs within a matter of weeks, indicating that the game’s revenue trajectory was also falling short of expectations.
Both projects, despite generating enthusiastic niche communities, were unable to sustain the costly server infrastructure required for a live‑service model. Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader strategic reorientation.
"After ten years of focusing on live‑service shooters, our focus is changing," they wrote. "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 co‑founders reflected on the studio’s origins, noting that they started 1047 Games a decade ago out of a love for video games.
Over that time, more than 25 million players have experienced their titles, and many of the relationships forged during development have turned into lifelong friendships. While the statement did not provide specifics about future staffing levels, it is worth noting that the studio has already undergone several layoff cycles, 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 player retention and monetisation do not meet the high thresholds needed to justify dedicated server costs. By shifting to P2P hosting, 1047 Games can dramatically cut operating expenses while still offering a functional multiplayer experience. However, the trade‑off includes potential issues such as increased latency, reliance on player‑hosted sessions, and a reduced ability to enforce consistent anti‑cheat measures. For the community, the transition means that both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will remain playable, albeit with a different matchmaking experience.
Players who prefer the stability of dedicated servers may need to adapt to the new system or seek community‑run hubs that provide similar services. The final content drop for Empulse—its new map and price cut—serves as a parting gift to the player base, acknowledging the support the community has shown despite the financial challenges.
Looking ahead, 1047 Games has hinted that its next project could diverge significantly from the shooter genre that defined its brand. While details are scarce, the founders’ emphasis on “loving games” and “carrying lessons forward” suggests a willingness to explore new mechanics, platforms, or business models.
Whether the studio will return to multiplayer experiences, pivot to single‑player narratives, or experiment with hybrid approaches remains to be seen. In summary, the cessation of active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded reflects both a pragmatic response to unsustainable server costs and a strategic decision to move away from the live‑service shooter niche. The shift to peer‑to‑peer hosting ensures that the games will continue to be accessible, while the studio prepares for a new chapter that may redefine its creative direction after a decade of building competitive multiplayer experiences.