Splitgate 2 Developers Share Their Shift to a Titanfall-Inspired Shooter

After the tumultuous launch of Splitgate 2 and its rebranding as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, 1047 Games is back with a fresh multiplayer shooter, Empulse (stylized as EMPULSE). This new title shifts gears from the Halo-meets-Portal vibe of Splitgate to a movement shooter inspired by Titanfall, set to enter early access later this year.

In a recent interview, 1047 Games CEO Ian Proulx shared insights into how Empulse came to be and how the studio plans to balance its development alongside Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. Proulx emphasized that while support for Splitgate will continue, Empulse is currently the studio’s primary focus.

Empulse is designed as a 6v6 arcade shooter that prioritizes movement and mech combat, blending the hip-fire mechanics of Splitgate with Titanfall-inspired gameplay. Players can expect wall-running and grappling hooks that facilitate fluid navigation across maps. However, mechs in Empulse are treated more like power weapons to be contested rather than deployable tools, akin to fighting over a rocket launcher in Halo. Proulx highlighted that the core appeal lies in the movement mechanics.

“We examined some of our favorite movement shooters, like Titanfall 2 and Black Ops 3, but we also drew inspiration from non-shooting games,” Proulx explained. “Remember SSX Tricky? We wanted to capture that flow state where you’re wall-running, grappling, sliding, and bouncing off jumps. Instead of just typical jump pads, we envisioned something more akin to a snowboard jump.”

While portals are absent, Empulse also takes cues from Valve’s Portal series, particularly the paint mechanic from Portal 2. Players can use P.A.I.N.T. Bombs (Plasma Activated Infusion of NanoTech) to apply speed or jump boosts to surfaces, allowing for dynamic movement combinations throughout the game. Proulx mentioned that the various game modes will reflect this emphasis on constant motion.

What’s intriguing about Empulse is how swiftly it came together during a challenging year for 1047 Games. Development kicked off about a year ago, coinciding with the announcement of Splitgate 2 at Summer Game Fest. Proulx stirred up some controversy during that reveal by wearing a “Make FPS Great Again” hat while discussing the state of modern shooters, which didn’t sit well with some players. Splitgate 2 launched with costly microtransactions and several issues that frustrated the community.

A month later, 1047 Games “unlaunched” Splitgate 2, resulting in layoffs and a relaunch as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded in December 2025, though it struggled to regain its player base. Proulx acknowledged that the player count simply wasn’t sufficient, which is why Empulse has become the studio’s main focus.

Behind the scenes, the team had been quietly developing Empulse while navigating the fallout from Splitgate 2. The project originated from two separate prototypes: one featuring a snowboarding-like mechanic with portals, and the other incorporating wall-running, a feature fans had long requested.

“We have a lot of Titanfall fans on our team, and many in our community have asked for wall-running over the years,” Proulx noted. “We prototyped it in early 2025 but ultimately decided against including it in Splitgate because it didn’t fit with the portal mechanics.”

After experimenting with the prototypes, Empulse began development with a 15-person team, the same number that initially worked on Splitgate. While some staff continue to support Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, the majority of the studio—around 100 people following the 2025 layoffs—has shifted focus to prepare Empulse for its early access launch.

This timeline casts Proulx’s Summer Game Fest speech in a new light. “I’m tired of playing the same Call of Duty every year, and I wish we could have Titanfall 3!” he declared, receiving applause from the audience. In hindsight, that moment seems like a precursor to Empulse’s development. Proulx believes there’s a strong desire among shooting fans for a game like Titanfall, which could give 1047 an advantage over other live-service titles that have struggled.

“Live-service games face numerous challenges, and I think some have faltered by chasing trends instead of delivering what players want,” Proulx said. “We’ve been guilty of that too. This time, we’re focused on creating a game that doesn’t need to be the next Fortnite or Call of Duty. We believe this is a game players are asking for.”

Empulse represents a reset for 1047 Games. The original Splitgate started as a small passion project that gained traction in 2022, thanks to a supportive community that provided feedback during early access. Its unexpected success led the studio to try to evolve it into a “AAA” title, resulting in a staffing increase and a complete overhaul of the game’s art style before ultimately halting development to start a sequel from scratch. The team approached Splitgate 2 with more caution, which limited the feedback they received prior to launch.

Now, 1047 Games seems to be recalibrating after that rocky experience. “We’re not aiming to sell a million copies on day one,” Proulx stated. The goal is to build a solid game that the team can be proud of while collaborating with players eager for a title like Empulse during early access.

Ultimately, Proulx believes they have created something genuinely enjoyable.

Despite returning to the core elements that made Splitgate successful, 1047 Games faces a significant challenge. The studio has asked for player trust multiple times over the past four years, and that trust hasn’t always been rewarded. The decision to pivot from Splitgate during its development to focus on Splitgate 2 didn’t pan out as expected, and now players who remained loyal during the sequel’s relaunch are witnessing another shift in resources. Whether there’s enough goodwill left is uncertain, but Proulx remains hopeful, acknowledging that patience will be essential.

“Ultimately, we have something that I think is just really freaking fun,” he said. “I hope players will focus on that, but I know it’s going to take time. We’re trying to return to the approach that worked for us initially: putting the game out there, gathering constant feedback, and iterating based on that input. That’s what we did with the relaunch of Splitgate 2.”

As for the future of Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, it remains less clear. Proulx confirmed that the studio will work on both titles simultaneously, as his vision for 1047 Games has always been to operate as a multi-game studio. However, he reiterated that Empulse is now the main priority. He hopes that Empulse will succeed and positively influence Splitgate: Arena Reloaded as new players discover 1047 Games’ take on arcade shooting. But realistically, significant changes shouldn’t be expected anytime soon.

“I still believe in it. I really do. I think it’s a great game. I think it needs sort of a…” Proulx paused, contemplating. “I mean, I don’t know what it needs, to be honest.”

It’s a long road ahead for 1047 Games.