1047 Games announced that it will cease active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, and will move both games to a peer-to-peer (P2P) hosting model as of September 3. The decision marks a significant pivot for the studio after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooter experiences. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers explained that the revenue generated by the two titles no longer covers the expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure. While the company had continued to fund those servers in hopes of fostering growth and community engagement, it ultimately concluded that the financial model had become unsustainable.
"We have loved working on these games, playing them, and building them with this community, and we wish we could continue supporting them," the studio wrote, underscoring the emotional connection it feels toward its player base despite the hard business realities. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be discontinued.
Players will instead rely on a P2P system that incorporates a server browser, allowing individuals to host their own matches and locate others who are doing the same. To give Empulse a proper send‑off, the final update will introduce a brand‑new map and apply a universal price reduction across all regions.
This move mirrors a similar transition that the original Splitgate underwent last year, when its dedicated servers were shut down and the game shifted to P2P hosting. That change kept the title playable on both PC and consoles, and it continues to enjoy a modest but active community. The background to these developments is rooted in a turbulent period for the studio.
Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy, including the release of a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked backlash. Within weeks of the launch, 1047 Games announced layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of staff members. A month later, the company placed the game back into a beta state and initiated a second round of reductions. Empulse, billed 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 quickly followed by several rounds of layoffs, reflecting the studio's struggle to balance development costs with a relatively small player base. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the announcement to signal a broader strategic shift. "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," they said. The founders emphasized that the company’s core mission—creating enjoyable gaming experiences—remains intact, even as the type of projects it pursues may evolve. The statement did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, though it is known that the studio has already undergone multiple layoff cycles, the most recent occurring in July, shortly after Empulse's launch.
It remains uncertain whether the latest announcement will precipitate additional workforce reductions. Looking ahead, the transition to peer‑to‑peer hosting is intended to keep the games accessible to existing fans while reducing ongoing operational costs.
By eliminating the need for centralized servers, 1047 Games can allocate resources toward future projects that may diverge from the live‑service shooter formula that defined its first decade. The company’s history of over 25 million players across its portfolio suggests a strong foundation of community goodwill that could support new directions, whether they involve single‑player narratives, cooperative experiences, or entirely new genres.
In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, shifting both titles to a player‑hosted model and offering a final content update for Empulse. The move reflects broader financial pressures and a strategic decision to move away from the costly live‑service shooter model that has dominated the studio’s output for ten years. While the future of the studio’s staffing remains unclear, the founders have affirmed a continued passion for game creation and hinted that upcoming projects may surprise long‑time fans with fresh concepts and gameplay styles.