Rough Ride Continues: Splitgate Dev 1047 Games Faces More Layoffs Post-Empulse Launch

It seems like the gaming industry just can’t catch a break, and unfortunately, the latest reports involve 1047 Games, the studio that once captured our attention with the unique portal-shooter, Splitgate. Just a month after rolling out their new game, Empulse, the developer is reportedly undergoing another round of employee layoffs.

While 1047 Games hasn’t made an official announcement, the news has surfaced through various LinkedIn posts from employees who confirmed they’ve been let go. It’s tough news, and some former team members have even described this as the “third wave” of layoffs to hit the studio.

The first whispers of these recent cuts began last week. Igor Krinitskiy, who served as QA Director, shared a heartfelt message about his departure, stating that “a bunch of us, ‘the crew’ aboard the 1047 train, are getting off on this post-Empulse station.” More recent posts echo this sentiment, with UI engineer Iannis Stefan Palaczkos mentioning he “got caught in that wave,” and concept artist Jonathan Kuo confirming his last day was due to this third round of reductions.

For those who remember, 1047 Games shot to fame a few years ago with Splitgate: Arena Warfare. It was dubbed “Halo with portals” and quickly became a massive hit, drawing in tons of players with its innovative gameplay. This success even led to a huge $100 (approx. Rs 27,800) million funding round in 2021, with the studio reportedly aiming to become “the next Riot Games.”

However, things haven’t quite clicked into place since. A follow-up, Splitgate 2, faced significant issues shortly after its release, leading to a rollback and earlier layoffs. It was later rebranded as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, but it never quite recaptured the magic or the player base of its predecessor.

Now, their latest title, Empulse, which was announced earlier this year, also made a positive initial impression. But similar to the struggles with Splitgate’s later versions, it hasn’t managed to attract a large number of players. Unlike the free-to-play Splitgate, Empulse comes with a $20 (approx. Rs 5,560) price tag, which might be a factor in its smaller community. Still, seeing concurrent player counts below 1000 on platforms like Steam isn’t ideal for any new release.

It’s a challenging period for 1047 Games. CEO Ian Proulx once spoke in 2025 about the goal being “to grow over time, not aim for a massive splash on day one” – a philosophy he applied to Splitgate 2’s relaunch. It seems that philosophy will need to be embraced even more broadly if Empulse, and indeed the future of 1047 Games itself, is to find its footing amidst these tough times.

Note: PKR figures are approximate, based on a rate of Rs 278.00 per USD. Exchange rates fluctuate — please check the latest dollar rate for exact pricing.