adminEmpulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded are leaving active development as 1047 Games shifts away from live service shooters. The studio says the games will move from dedicated servers and matchmaking to peer-to-peer hosting, allowing players to host and find matches through a server browser.
Image credit: 1047 Games
Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded move to peer-to-peer hosting
1047 Games says revenue from the two games is no longer enough to cover the ongoing costs of dedicated servers. The studio had continued paying those costs to give the games more time to grow, but has decided that maintaining the service is no longer sustainable.
The planned change takes effect on September 3. Dedicated servers and matchmaking will shut down for both titles, with peer-to-peer hosting and a server browser taking their place. Players will still be able to host sessions and look for matches, though the way they connect and play will differ from the existing server-based setup.
For players, the practical change is that finding a game may depend on available player-hosted sessions. Checking the in-game server browser and coordinating with other players can help when looking for a match after the transition.
Empulse receives a final update
Before active development ends, Empulse is set to receive one last update. It will add a map and reduce the game’s price across all regions. 1047 Games described this as the title’s final update.
The studio has previously used peer-to-peer hosting for the original Splitgate. After that game’s dedicated servers went offline last year, it remained playable, including on console. That experience provides some context for how 1047 Games plans to keep the newer titles accessible.
Why 1047 Games is changing direction
The announcement follows a difficult period for the studio. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2025 and drew controversy over items including a “Make FPS Great Again” hat and a $145 cosmetic bundle. Within a month, 1047 Games laid off an undisclosed number of developers. The following month, the game was sent “back to beta” and another round of layoffs was announced.
Empulse, a 6v6 movement shooter described as a spiritual successor to Titanfall, entered early access in June 2026. Several rounds of layoffs followed within weeks of its launch.
Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian said the studio’s priorities are changing after ten years focused on live service shooters. They noted that more than 25 million people have played the studio’s games and said its next project could be quite different from what players expect. They also said the lessons learned from those years will inform future work.
What the announcement means for players
1047 Games’ statement does not provide details about staffing, and it is not clear whether the decision will lead to further job cuts. The studio had already carried out layoffs, most recently in July, weeks after Empulse launched.
For now, players should note the September 3 server transition date and the change to player-hosted sessions. Empulse and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded are ending active development, but the planned peer-to-peer option is intended to let their communities continue playing.
