1047 Games is moving forward with Empluse, a movement-focused shooter drawing inspiration from Titanfall 2 and Portal 2, with an early access launch planned for later this year.
The studio's creative shift reflects both ambition and lessons learned. Studio head Ian Proulx told Polygon that Empluse is now the team's "main priority," though support for Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, which relaunched as free-to-play after a rocky initial debut, will continue.
Empluse borrows movement mechanics from beloved shooters and beyond. The team studied Titanfall 2, Black Ops 3, and movement-heavy Call of Duty entries, but also looked sideways at non-shooter franchises. Proulx cited SSX Tricky, the snowboarding action game, as inspiration for creating what he described as a "flow state" where players chain wall-runs, grapples, slides, and jumps without pause.
The game's signature mechanic draws from Portal's DNA. Players deploy P.A.I.N. Bombs, which stands for Plasma Activated Infusion of NanoTech, that work similarly to Portal 2's colored gels. These projectiles grant speed boosts or enhanced jumps, and chaining them creates a constantly-moving, highly mobile combat experience. Proulx called the result "really freaking fun."
Wall-running, a feature many community members had requested over the years, was prototyped in early 2025 but ultimately scrapped. "This just doesn't really work and none of the maps were built for this," Proulx explained. "This is about portals." The decision reflects the studio's commitment to its core identity rather than simply mimicking Titanfall wholesale.
The new project arrives after a turbulent period for 1047 Games. Splitgate 2 launched in June 2024 to mixed reviews and heavy criticism. Player counts dropped sharply, forcing the studio to make an unusual decision: they "unlaunched" the game in July, temporarily shutting down support while the team built what they called a new version with "big, sweeping changes." The game relaunched as free-to-play across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, a reset that has positioned Arena Reloaded as the foundation moving forward.
Proulx acknowledged the studio's earlier missteps. "I think we had our own unique take on things, but I think this time around it's: let's just make this type of game," he said. He criticized the industry tendency to chase trends rather than build what players actually want. "It doesn't have to be the next Fortnite, it doesn't have to be the next Call of Duty. We think this is a game that players are asking for."
Author Emily Chen: "1047 Games is betting that stripping away the trend-chasing and focusing on pure movement shooter mechanics will succeed where Splitgate 2 stumbled. If Empluse delivers on the flow-state promise, it could finally be the game this studio has been searching for."
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