The situation at 1047 Games and Splitgate 2 reflects a challenging pivot for a studio that aimed to evolve a beloved fan-driven shooter into a more ambitious, monetization-heavy sequel — only to face backlash, underwhelming performance, and internal restructuring.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and why it matters:
🔍 Key Developments:
1. Layoffs Amid Turnaround Efforts
- A small group of employees were let go, confirmed via LinkedIn.
- The studio emphasizes these were not mass layoffs, but a strategic reallocation of resources.
- Co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have voluntarily forgoing their salaries to reinvest in development and stabilize the team.
💡 This is a common move in indie studios facing financial pressure — founders take pay cuts or go without pay to extend runway and signal commitment to the game’s survival.
2. Splitgate 2’s Rough Launch
- Controversial debut: The "Make FPS Great Again" cap at Summer Game Fest was widely mocked and seen as tone-deaf, especially given the competitive landscape of Call of Duty, Halo, and Apex Legends.
- $145 microtransaction bundle (for cosmetics and progression) drew ire from players, many of whom felt it undermined the free-to-play model’s accessibility.
- Peak concurrent players:
- Steam: 25,785 (vs. original Splitgate’s 67,724)
- 24-hour peak: 10,059 (current active players: ~4,437)
- Overall player base: Over 2.5 million (across PC and consoles), but retention appears weak.
📉 While 2.5M is a solid number for a free-to-play title, sustained engagement is critical. The steep drop from original Splitgate’s peak suggests a failure to retain its core audience.
3. Critical Reception: Mixed, but Not Bad
- IGN gave it a 7/10, acknowledging it builds on the original’s strengths (portals, fast-paced combat, map design) but fails to innovate meaningfully.
- The review noted: "It's fun to play, but not a revolution."
- Steam user reviews: "Mixed" — a red flag for long-term viability, especially for a game relying on community retention.
4. Team Departures Go Public
- Several key developers have announced their exits on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Reddit, though 1047 hasn’t confirmed their roles.
- These departures suggest more than just a few layoffs — possible talent drain in design, engineering, or live ops.
🤔 Why are people leaving?
- Burnout from a rushed launch
- Disagreement over monetization or direction
- Loss of morale after public backlash
🎯 Why This Matters:
- Splitgate was a cult hit — initially a fan-made mod for Halo, later a standalone hit with a passionate community. The sequel had high expectations.
- The original succeeded on charm, innovation, and community. The sequel, despite polished visuals and a battle royale mode, feels like a product of over-ambition.
- Monetization strategy backfired: $145 bundle, while not unprecedented in F2P games, felt excessive and alienated players who remembered the original as a "fair" and accessible shooter.
- The "Make FPS Great Again" moment wasn’t just a PR misstep — it symbolized a disconnect between the studio’s vision and player sentiment.
🛠️ What’s Next?
1047 Games says they're refining gameplay based on feedback, focusing on long-term development.
Signs of hope:
- Co-founders’ sacrifice shows commitment.
- Some players still enjoy the core loop (portals + fast combat).
- The team is still active on socials, promising new content.
Risks:
- If player retention doesn’t improve, the game may fade.
- Further layoffs could follow if revenue doesn’t stabilize.
- Without meaningful changes to monetization or game balance, trust won’t return.
✅ Final Take:
Splitgate 2 is in crisis mode — but not necessarily dead.
The studio made mistakes, but they’re not alone. Many F2P games struggle to balance creativity, community, and profit. What happens now will depend on:
- Transparency with players
- Tangible improvements (e.g., rebalancing, removing paywall resentment)
- Restoring trust after a toxic launch narrative
If 1047 Games listens to the community — not just in PR statements, but in actual patches and updates — Splitgate 2 might yet find its footing.
But if they double down on the same model, this could become another cautionary tale of a game that had the potential — but failed to deliver.
📌 Stay tuned:
- Watch for developer updates on Discord/X
- Monitor Steam player counts and review sentiment
- Look for patch notes that address monetization and gameplay balance
💬 “We didn’t anticipate this level of controversy” — but they should have. The community is watching.
