1047 Games announced that it will cease active development on its two flagship titles, Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, and will move both experiences to a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) networking model as of September 3. The decision marks a clear pivot for the studio after a decade of focusing on live‑service shooter franchises. In a brief statement posted to X earlier today, the developers 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 hopes of fostering growth and community engagement, 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 announcement read. The tone was one of appreciation mixed with resignation, acknowledging both the passion of the development team and the loyalty of the player base. 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 complemented by a server browser, allowing them to host their own matches and discover others’ sessions.
To give the community a final boost, Empulse will receive one last new map and a universal price reduction across all regions, which the studio described as the "final update" for the title. This transition mirrors a similar move the studio made with the original Splitgate last year. After its dedicated servers were retired, Splitgate shifted to P2P hosting and remains fully playable on PC and consoles, albeit without the centralized matchmaking that once defined its multiplayer experience.
The background to these changes is rooted in a turbulent period for 1047 Games. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 amid a wave of controversy, most notably the inclusion of a politically charged "Make FPS Great Again" hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle that sparked backlash across the gaming community. Within weeks of release, the company announced an undisclosed round of layoffs, and a month later the title was pushed back into a beta state, prompting a second wave of staff 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 launch was quickly followed by multiple rounds of layoffs, indicating that the studio was already grappling with financial and operational strain even before the recent announcement. Co‑founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian used the statement to signal a 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 highlighted that more than 25 million players have experienced their games over the past decade, and many of those connections have turned into lifelong friendships. While the announcement does not detail the current staffing situation, it follows a pattern of layoffs that have plagued the studio since early 2025.
The most recent cuts occurred in July, just weeks after Empulse’s early‑access debut. It remains uncertain whether the cessation of development on these two titles will trigger additional reductions or if the company will stabilize its workforce as it re‑evaluates its long‑term direction.
The move to peer‑to‑peer hosting is not without precedent in the industry. Many smaller or financially constrained studios adopt P2P models to reduce server costs, relying on players to host their own games.
This approach can introduce challenges such as increased latency, potential for cheating, and a reliance on the community to maintain a healthy matchmaking environment. However, it also empowers dedicated fans to keep the games alive without the need for costly backend services.
For Empulse, the final update—featuring a new map and a price cut—offers a modest incentive for remaining players to continue exploring the game’s unique movement mechanics and tactical depth. The added map expands the tactical variety and may encourage fresh strategies, while the reduced price aims to attract new players who might have been hesitant due to the original cost. Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, on the other hand, will transition to a server browser that mirrors the original Splitgate’s current setup. Players will need to manually find or host matches, which could fragment the player base but also foster tighter-knit communities around private lobbies and friend groups.
Looking ahead, 1047 Games hinted that its next project could diverge significantly from the live‑service shooter formula that defined its brand. The founders emphasized that the core motivation—creating games they love—remains unchanged, suggesting that future titles may explore new genres, platforms, or business models. Whether this will involve single‑player experiences, narrative‑driven adventures, or perhaps a different take on multiplayer will be revealed in time. In summary, 1047 Games is winding down active development on Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, shifting both to peer‑to‑peer hosting as of September 3.
The studio cites unsustainable server costs and modest revenue as primary drivers, and it offers a final content update for Empulse alongside a price reduction. The announcement reflects a broader strategic realignment after years of investing in live‑service shooters, and it leaves the community awaiting news of what the studio will create next, even as the future of its workforce remains uncertain.