The turbulent journey of 1047 Games, once the darling of the independent shooter scene, has hit another precarious junction. Less than a month after the launch of Empulse, its highly anticipated Titanfall-inspired shooter, the studio is reportedly navigating its third round of significant staff reductions. While the leadership at 1047 Games has remained silent, failing to issue a formal press release or public statement regarding the downsizing, the reality of the situation has been laid bare by the very people affected.
Former employees have taken to LinkedIn to confirm their departures, describing a somber atmosphere within the studio as they navigate what many are labeling as the "third wave" of layoffs. This latest development casts a long shadow over the future of the studio, which once held aspirations of becoming a titan of the industry, and serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the modern gaming market.
The Current Crisis: A Pattern of Attrition
The reports of staff cuts began surfacing late last week, trickling out through social media channels as affected developers shared their personal experiences. Igor Krinitskiy, who served as the studio’s QA Director, offered a poignant reflection on his time with the company.
"A bunch of us, ‘the crew’ aboard the 1047 train, are getting off on this post-Empulse station," Krinitskiy wrote. "It has been an interesting ride, bumpy at times, narrowly avoiding derailment and with everyone working hard to keep that 1047 train going."
The sentiment was echoed by others, including UI engineer Iannis Stefan Palaczkos, who confirmed he was caught in the wave, and concept artist Jonathan Kuo, who explicitly referenced this as the third round of layoffs to strike the organization. The consistency of these reports from across various departments—QA, art, and engineering—suggests that the cuts are widespread rather than isolated to a single project team.
A Chronology of Ambition and Contraction
To understand the current crisis at 1047 Games, one must look at the meteoric rise and subsequent struggle of the studio over the last half-decade.
The Splitgate Phenomenon (2019–2021)
1047 Games burst onto the scene with Splitgate: Arena Warfare, a title that captivated the gaming community with its unique "Halo with portals" gameplay loop. It was a breakout success that felt fresh, competitive, and technically innovative. The game’s popularity led to a massive $100 million funding round in 2021, a figure that vaulted the studio into the big leagues of independent development. At this peak, the company’s leadership publicly expressed ambitions to become the "next Riot Games," aiming to build a portfolio of high-quality, competitive, long-term live service titles.
The Splitgate 2 Pivot and Failure (2023–2024)
The momentum stalled with the development of Splitgate 2. When the game was introduced, it failed to capture the magic of the original. The transition to a more traditional hero-shooter format alienated a significant portion of the fanbase. The project faced internal strife, resulting in a public "rollback" and a previous round of layoffs. In a desperate attempt to salvage the brand, the studio rebranded the project as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, a back-to-basics effort that ultimately failed to reignite the player base’s interest.
The Empulse Era (2024–2025)
Hoping to pivot away from the baggage of the Splitgate name, the studio turned its focus toward Empulse. The game promised fast-paced, movement-heavy combat reminiscent of the Titanfall series. While early previews were positive, citing a nostalgic, high-octane feel, the game’s commercial launch has been lackluster. Unlike its predecessor, Empulse is a premium $20 title, a move that likely contributed to its struggle to gain traction in a market dominated by free-to-play giants.
Supporting Data: The Steam Reality
The metrics behind Empulse’s performance paint a sobering picture. While the studio’s CEO, Ian Proulx, had previously stated that the company’s philosophy was to "grow over time" rather than aim for a massive day-one splash, the current numbers represent a significant hurdle for long-term sustainability.
Current data shows that Empulse has been struggling to maintain a consistent player base, often hovering with concurrent player counts below 1,000 on Steam. In the world of live-service shooters, these numbers are generally considered below the threshold required to support continuous, large-scale content updates and server maintenance. When compared to the heights of the original Splitgate, which saw hundreds of thousands of concurrent players at its peak, the current state of the studio is a sharp decline.
Furthermore, the decision to charge for the game creates a "barrier to entry" that is difficult to overcome when competing against established, free-to-play shooters like Apex Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch 2. Without a large, engaged community, the revenue stream necessary to retain a full development team dries up quickly, necessitating the very layoffs currently being reported.
Official Responses and Corporate Silence
As of the time of this writing, 1047 Games has maintained a policy of silence regarding these personnel changes. There has been no official statement posted to their social media accounts, nor has a press release been issued via their primary communication channels.
This lack of transparency has become an increasing point of frustration within the industry. When reached for comment, the studio did not provide an immediate response. This silence leaves employees in a difficult position and creates uncertainty for the remaining player base. For a studio that once prided itself on being transparent with its community during the early days of Splitgate, this shift to corporate reticence reflects the gravity of their current financial and operational pressures.
Implications: The Future of 1047 Games
The recurring layoffs at 1047 Games carry significant implications for the future of the studio.
The Risk of Burnout and Brain Drain
Each wave of layoffs inevitably leads to a loss of institutional knowledge. When key engineers, QA directors, and creative leads depart, the studio’s ability to pivot or maintain existing products is severely hampered. This creates a cycle where the remaining team is tasked with maintaining an increasingly difficult workload, often leading to further burnout.
The "Next Riot" Dream
The initial dream of becoming the "next Riot Games" appears to be effectively off the table. The industry is currently witnessing a massive contraction, with many mid-sized studios struggling to find a place between indie darlings and AAA juggernauts. 1047 Games is now in a fight for survival, where the primary objective is no longer expansion or industry dominance, but simple sustainability.
The Future of Empulse
The future of Empulse is now in question. If the studio cannot stabilize its workforce and increase its player numbers, the game may face the same fate as Splitgate 2—a slow decline followed by a potential shift in strategy or eventual sunsetting. For the remaining staff, the immediate future is likely focused on keeping the servers online and attempting to refine the game to attract a more sustainable audience.
Conclusion
The story of 1047 Games serves as a cautionary tale of the high-stakes world of game development. The journey from a $100 million valuation to repeated rounds of layoffs is a trajectory that many studios fear. Whether 1047 Games can recover from these latest losses will depend on their ability to stabilize their internal culture, secure their remaining talent, and find a way to make Empulse a viable, sustainable product in a crowded and unforgiving marketplace. Until then, the "1047 train" continues to navigate a very treacherous track.
