Key Takeaways
1. Request for Trust: 1047 Games is asking players for another chance as they prepare to relaunch Splitgate 2 in early 2026 after reverting to beta status.
2. Acknowledgment of Mistakes: Founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian admitted to errors in the game’s initial launch and emphasized their commitment to supporting the community.
3. Changes and Improvements: The studio plans to enhance progression, add portal walls, simplify monetization, and refocus on classic arena modes following player feedback.
4. Decline in Player Numbers: The game’s player count on Steam drastically fell by 93% shortly after launch, highlighting significant issues in its reception.
5. Controversial CEO Appearance: CEO Ian Proulx faced backlash for wearing a controversial hat at a gaming event, leading to an apology and further straining player trust amid mixed reviews of the game.
Splitgate 2’s troubled introduction led 1047 Games to ask its players for another opportunity, after the game was returned to beta status, aiming for a relaunch in early 2026.
A Heartfelt Request
On August 21, 2025, the studio reached out through social media, expressing their feelings in a straightforward message:
“Please give us another chance with our relaunch. We understand we’ve let you down. We hope to win back your trust.”
The founders, Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian, acknowledged their haste in launching the game, stating, “We’ve certainly made some errors, but supporting our community has always been our main focus.”
Changes Ahead
Splitgate 2 reverted back to beta on July 22, 2025, with promises from 1047 Games to improve progression, add more portal walls, simplify how monetization works, and return the focus to classic arena modes. Nonetheless, the company has had to make tough decisions, including laying off 45 employees and closing the original Splitgate servers in August 2025. Proulx defended this by saying it would save “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on upkeep.
The game faced a rough start on June 6, 2025, as the number of players on Steam plummeted from a high of 25,785 to just 1,839 by late July, marking a staggering 93% decrease, according to SteamDB.
Controversy Strikes
A new issue arose when CEO Ian Proulx showed up at the Summer Game Fest wearing a hat that said “Make FPS Great Again.” This move upset some players, and later, Proulx apologized, saying, “We thought of it as a joke,” but recognized that the backlash was much worse than expected.
The game launched with a ridiculous $145 microtransaction cosmetic bundle and lacked a ranked mode, resulting in mixed feedback on Steam, with only 61.14% of the total 18,978 reviews being positive.
At this point, 1047 Games is depending on community-led playtests to reshape Splitgate 2, but many fans feel the damage is already done. The relaunch is sure to be a challenging road as the studio tries to regain the trust of its community and the appeal of the original game.
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