"1047 Games Faces Layoffs; Co-Founders Forgo Salaries to Focus on Splitgate 2's Next Phase"

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games has confirmed a round of layoffs, affecting an undisclosed number of employees. In a bid to stabilize the studio and refocus on improving the game, co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have voluntarily stepped away from their salaries.

The free-to-play sci-fi shooter, often described as "Halo with portals," faced a rocky launch following controversy at the Summer Game Fest. During the presentation, co-founder and director Ian Proulx appeared on stage wearing a hat that read “Make FPS Great Again” and made pointed remarks about Call of Duty, sparking backlash and widespread criticism. The marketing misstep cast an early shadow over the game’s release.

Upon launch, Splitgate 2 introduced a battle royale mode and a $145 microtransaction bundle that drew significant player criticism. The game reached a peak concurrent player count of 25,785 on Steam—less than half the 67,724 peak achieved by the original Splitgate. At the time of this report, Steam’s current player count sits at 4,437, with a 24-hour peak of 10,059. User reviews on the platform remain “mixed.”

While Steam data alone doesn’t reflect the full picture—given the game’s multiplatform release on consoles and PC—1047 Games has stated that Splitgate 2 has surpassed 2.5 million players. Despite this, performance has fallen short of expectations. In an interview with IGN post-launch, Proulx admitted he was “surprised” by the backlash, stating the team “didn't expect this to be nearly as controversial” and that the intent was not to provoke.

In a LinkedIn post, 1047 Games confirmed the layoffs, describing the affected group as a “small” but valued portion of the team. The studio emphasized its commitment to refining Splitgate 2 based on community feedback and reallocating resources to prioritize gameplay improvements. The full statement reads:

Today we parted ways with a small group of valued 1047 Games team members. We’re still perfecting the Splitgate 2 gameplay experience in response to community feedback, and we are redirecting resources to build the best game for our players. We are sad to see our teammates go, and we are actively working to help them secure new opportunities. Further, our co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have opted not to take salaries as we lock in to deliver the next phase of the project. Thank you to those who’ve built alongside us — we are sad to say goodbye and would not be here without you.

To everyone who’s playing Splitgate 2, we’re continuing to work hard to deliver more things we know you’ll love. We are committed to building this game for the long haul.

Though the studio did not disclose specific names or numbers, several key team members have publicly announced their departures on social media. Meanwhile, Splitgate 2 received a 7/10 in IGN’s review, with the verdict stating: “Splitgate 2 is a decent successor to the original that expands on it, but never really surpasses it.”