1047 Games announced that it will discontinue active development on both Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, opting to move the two titles to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model as of September 3. The decision marks a strategic pivot for the studio after a decade of focusing on live‑service first‑person shooters. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers explained that the revenue generated by the two games no longer covers the ongoing expenses of maintaining dedicated server infrastructure. While the company had continued to fund those servers in an effort to give each title a chance to grow its player base, it ultimately concluded that the model had become financially untenable.
"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, expressing disappointment but also gratitude toward its fans. 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 users to host their own matches and discover others’ sessions. As part of what the company is calling the final update for Empulse, the game will receive one last new map and a universal price reduction across all regions.
This approach mirrors the transition the original Splitgate underwent last year, when its dedicated servers were retired and the game moved to a P2P architecture. That change kept the title playable on PC and console, albeit with a different matchmaking experience. 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 weeks, 1047 Games announced layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of staff members. A month later the studio placed the title back into a beta phase and initiated a second round of cuts, further destabilizing the project. Empulse, promoted as a 6‑v‑6 movement‑focused shooter and spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. The game’s rollout was followed by several rounds of layoffs within a matter of weeks, reflecting the broader financial pressures the studio was facing.
Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian said the company’s direction is shifting after ten years spent building live‑service shooters. They hinted that future projects could look very different from the studio’s previous output, though the underlying passion for game development remains unchanged. "We started 1047 Games ten years ago because we love video games," the founders stated.
"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 include specifics about the current staffing situation, though the studio has already undergone multiple layoff waves, the most recent occurring in July, shortly after Empulse’s launch. It remains uncertain whether the latest shift away from dedicated servers will trigger additional reductions. The transition to peer‑to‑peer hosting is a notable trend in the industry, as developers grapple with the high costs of running dedicated server farms for multiplayer titles.
While P2P can reduce operational expenses and keep a game alive for its community, it often introduces challenges such as increased latency, reliance on player‑hosted connections, and potential security concerns. For Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, the move aims to preserve a functional multiplayer experience for the remaining player base without the financial burden of server maintenance. Fans of both games have expressed mixed reactions.
Some appreciate the studio’s effort to keep the titles playable, while others worry that the loss of dedicated matchmaking could diminish the quality of matches and make it harder for newcomers to find games. The final map addition and price cut for Empulse are intended as a goodwill gesture, giving players one more piece of content before the official end of support. Looking ahead, 1047 Games has signaled that it will explore new genres or business models that differ from the live‑service shooter formula that defined its first decade.
The founders’ remarks suggest a willingness to apply the lessons learned from Empulse and Splitgate to future endeavors, potentially venturing into single‑player experiences, narrative‑driven titles, or alternative multiplayer structures that do not rely on costly server back‑ends. In summary, the studio’s decision to halt active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded reflects both financial realities and a strategic desire to reinvent its creative focus.
By shifting to peer‑to‑peer hosting, 1047 Games hopes to maintain a playable environment for existing fans while freeing resources to pursue new directions in game design. The coming months will reveal how the community adapts to the new hosting model and what kind of projects the studio will unveil next.