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. 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 to X earlier today, the company explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the ongoing expenses associated with maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.
While the studio had continued to fund those costs in an effort to give the titles a chance to grow their player bases, it ultimately concluded that the model had 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 post read, underscoring the bittersweet tone of the announcement. Effective September 3, the dedicated servers and official matchmaking services for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will be shut down. Players will instead rely on a P2P system that uses a server browser, allowing individuals to host their own matches and find opponents directly. To mark the transition, Empulse will receive a final new map and a price reduction across all regions, which the studio described as the game's "final update." This is not the first time 1047 Games has moved a title to a peer‑to‑peer architecture.
The original Splitgate made the same shift last year after its dedicated servers were retired, and the game remains fully playable on PC and console under the new model. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a storm of controversy. The release was accompanied by a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a costly $145 cosmetic bundle, which sparked backlash from portions of the community.
Within a month of launch, the studio announced a round of layoffs, the size of which was not disclosed. A further month later, the company placed the game back into beta and initiated a second wave of staff reductions. Empulse, billed as a 6‑v‑6 movement‑focused shooter and often described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. The title also suffered a series of layoffs within weeks of its debut, reflecting the financial pressure the studio has been feeling across its live‑service portfolio.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian said the announcement signals a fundamental change in the studio’s direction after ten years of concentrating on live‑service shooters. "What we build next may look very different from what people expect from 1047 Games," they stated, adding that the core motivation—"we love making games"—remains unchanged. The founders reflected on the studio’s journey, noting that more than 25 million players have experienced their games and that many relationships forged during that time have become lifelong friendships. The press release did not provide specifics about current staffing levels, but it is worth noting that 1047 Games has already undergone several rounds of layoffs, the most recent occurring in July, just weeks after Empulse’s launch.
Whether the latest shift will trigger additional reductions remains uncertain. Looking ahead, the studio hinted that future projects could diverge significantly from the fast‑paced, competitive shooter formula that defined its earlier output.
The leadership emphasized that the lessons learned from a decade of operating live‑service games will inform whatever comes next, whether that means exploring new genres, adopting different monetisation strategies, or focusing on smaller‑scale, narrative‑driven experiences. In summary, the transition to peer‑to‑peer hosting for Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded marks the end of an era for 1047 Games. By shutting down dedicated servers and ending active development, the company is acknowledging the financial realities of maintaining large‑scale online infrastructure for titles that have struggled to achieve sustainable revenue.
The final content update for Empulse, including a new map and price cut, offers a modest send‑off for the community that has supported the game since its early‑access debut. For players, the shift means they will need to host their own matches or join games hosted by others, using the new server browser to find opponents.
While this model can introduce latency variations and may lack some of the polish of dedicated matchmaking, it does allow the games to remain playable without the studio incurring the high costs of server farms. The broader industry implication is a reminder that even established studios can find the live‑service model challenging to sustain over the long term, especially when revenue streams do not keep pace with operational expenses.
As 1047 Games looks to reinvent itself, the gaming community will be watching closely to see what direction the studio takes after a decade defined by arena shooters and competitive multiplayer experiences.