In one of the strangest release sagas in recent gaming memory, Splitgate 2 is relaunching in December 2025, just five months after developer 1047 Games essentially un-launched it and reverted the game back to beta status. The portal-based free-to-play shooter launched in June 2025 to immediate criticism over overpriced microtransactions, gameplay issues, and an unfortunate Make FPS Great Again hat worn by CEO Ian Proulx at Summer Game Fest that sparked controversy. Now, after months of rebuilding major parts of the game, 1047 is taking another swing at launch with a humbler tone and significantly overhauled systems.
The Timeline of Splitgate 2’s Failed Launch
Splitgate 2 officially launched on June 6, 2025, positioning itself as the sequel to the surprise 2021 hit that combined Halo-style arena shooting with Portal-inspired traversal mechanics. The original Splitgate impressed players with solid gunplay and inventive use of portals for movement and strategy, building a dedicated fanbase despite being developed by a small indie studio. Expectations were high for the sequel backed by proper funding and resources.
Those expectations crashed hard within weeks. The game launched with a $140 Nano Swarm bundle that immediately drew criticism given the low player count. SteamDB data shows Splitgate 2 peaked at just under 26,000 concurrent players at launch, a number potentially suppressed by server issues, before quickly dropping to just a few hundred players within three months. Reviews complained about balance problems, stripped-down gameplay compared to the original, and aggressive monetization that felt predatory in a free-to-play game struggling to maintain an audience.
Less than two months after launch, on July 22, 2025, 1047 Games made the extraordinary decision to revert Splitgate 2 back to beta status. CEO Ian Proulx published a statement acknowledging they rushed the release. We had goals with Splitgate, and in our eagerness to present it to you, we took on more than we could handle, the team admitted. The announcement came alongside layoffs and the shutdown of Splitgate 1 servers to cut costs, though 1047 later added peer-to-peer support allowing fans to continue playing the original.
What Changed During the Beta Rebuild
The past six months saw 1047 Games essentially remake major portions of Splitgate 2 from the ground up. According to a blog post last week, the team rebuilt the entire foundation around what makes Splitgate special: portals, movement, and pure gunplay. This comprehensive overhaul addressed core gameplay complaints rather than just tweaking balance numbers and adjusting monetization.
The development team focused on validating core modes including King of the Hill, Domination, and Team Deathmatch to ensure they work properly with all the new systems. Recent updates added party modes that players missed from the original, including Team SWAT, Team Fiesta, and Shotty Snipers with more planned. New weapons were introduced, maps were redesigned, abilities were reworked based on player feedback, and menus were completely redeveloped to improve the user experience.
Perhaps most importantly, the monetization approach appears to have been adjusted. While specific pricing details haven’t been announced for the relaunch, 1047 addressed the controversy by stating players can enjoy the game without spending money. The $140 bundle debacle clearly taught them that aggressive monetization in a struggling free-to-play game creates a death spiral where the perception of greed drives away the player base you need to support ongoing development.
The final beta playtest ran November 22-23 featuring fan-favorite map Karman Station and showcasing the culmination of six months of rebuilding. Steam reviews for the beta period shifted to mostly positive, suggesting the changes resonated with the community that stuck around through the chaos. The beta servers will shut down December 4, 2025, after which 1047 will prepare for the full relaunch later that month, though no specific date has been confirmed yet.
The Humbler Tone This Time Around
CEO Ian Proulx’s messaging for the relaunch starkly contrasts with the original launch approach. In recent communications, he emphasized modest expectations and gradual growth rather than trying to make a massive splash. The goal is to grow over time, not aim for a massive splash on day 1, Proulx stated, acknowledging that the previous strategy of overhyping and over-promising backfired spectacularly.
Proulx also directly addressed skepticism and speculation in the community. He clarified that the accelerated relaunch timeline isn’t due to investor pressure demanding the game ship before year-end. He won’t be attending The Game Awards in December despite speculation around the timing. These preemptive clarifications suggest 1047 learned that transparency matters and that trying to control narratives through silence or spin makes everything worse.
The Make FPS Great Again controversy seems like ancient history now, but it colored the entire launch period and demonstrated how easily a small misstep can spiral into a PR disaster when everything else is already going wrong. Proulx wearing the hat at Summer Game Fest created immediate backlash that overshadowed the game reveal itself. In the current climate, any perceived political statement by a game developer, intentional or not, becomes a focal point for criticism that distracts from the actual product.
I appreciate you all continuing to pay attention and totally understand those who are skeptical of this working, Proulx wrote in a recent statement. I hope it works and I genuinely think it will, but of course I could be wrong. Fingers crossed regardless, and we hope you will give it a try on relaunch. This acknowledgment of uncertainty and respect for skepticism represents a dramatic shift from the confident hype of the original launch.
Can You Actually Un-Launch a Game?
Splitgate 2’s situation raises fascinating questions about what constitutes a launch in the modern live-service era. The game officially released out of early access in June 2025, meaning it wasn’t branded as beta or preview when players downloaded it. Then 1047 retroactively declared it beta again and announced they’d relaunch properly later. But if the game was already released, can you actually take that back?
Legally and technically, sure. The developer controls the servers and can label the game however they want. But psychologically and commercially, you can’t really un-ring that bell. Players who showed up for the June launch experienced what they considered the full release, formed opinions based on that experience, and many never came back. The relaunch faces the challenge of convincing those burned players to give the game another chance while also attracting new players who missed the drama entirely.
The Broader Context of Failed Live-Service Launches
Splitgate 2 joins a growing list of live-service games that launched poorly and struggled to recover. Anthem, Babylon’s Fall, Marvel’s Avengers, Hyenas (cancelled before launch), Concord (shut down after two weeks), and countless others demonstrate how brutal the free-to-play and live-service market has become. Players have infinite options and zero patience for games that don’t immediately deliver quality experiences.
What makes Splitgate 2’s case unique is the decision to pull back and try again rather than either shutting down entirely or struggling forward with the broken launch version. Most failed live-service games either die quickly or limp along with skeleton crews making minimal updates while player counts dwindle. 1047 chose a third path: acknowledge failure, rebuild fundamentals, and attempt a proper second launch. Whether this works remains to be seen, but at least it’s an attempt at redemption rather than abandonment.
The original Splitgate’s success in 2021 proved there’s audience appetite for arena shooters with innovative mechanics. The game’s surprise popularity led to 1047 raising $100 million in funding, which both enabled Splitgate 2’s development and perhaps contributed to the hubris that resulted in the rushed launch. Having that financial runway gives them the luxury of attempting this relaunch, whereas many smaller studios would have simply shut down after the initial failure.
FAQs
When does Splitgate 2 relaunch?
Splitgate 2 will relaunch in late December 2025, though no specific date has been announced. The beta servers shut down on December 4, 2025, after which 1047 Games will prepare for the full release later that month. The relaunch comes five months after the game reverted to beta status following a failed June launch.
What happened to the original Splitgate 2 launch?
Splitgate 2 launched on June 6, 2025, but faced immediate criticism over overpriced microtransactions, gameplay issues, and low player counts. Less than two months later, on July 22, 2025, developer 1047 Games reverted the game back to beta status and announced a massive rebuild of core systems alongside layoffs and the shutdown of Splitgate 1 servers.
What changed during the beta period?
1047 Games rebuilt the entire foundation around portals, movement, and pure gunplay over six months. Changes include redesigned maps, new weapons, reworked abilities, revamped modes like King of the Hill and Domination, party playlists featuring Team SWAT and Team Fiesta, completely redeveloped menus, and adjusted monetization based on player feedback.
Is Splitgate 2 free to play?
Yes, Splitgate 2 is a free-to-play shooter with optional microtransactions. The original launch faced criticism for a $140 bundle in a game with low player counts. The developers have stated players can enjoy the game without spending money, suggesting monetization has been adjusted for the relaunch.
What is Splitgate 2’s gameplay like?
Splitgate 2 combines Halo-style arena shooting with Portal-inspired mechanics. Players can create portals on walls and surfaces to instantly traverse maps, creating unique movement and combat strategies. The game features various modes including Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Domination, Team SWAT, and Team Fiesta.
Why did Splitgate 1 shut down?
1047 Games shut down Splitgate 1 servers in August 2025 to cut costs and focus resources on fixing Splitgate 2. The studio later added peer-to-peer support allowing fans to continue playing the original game offline or through community-hosted servers, though the official servers remain closed.
How many people are playing Splitgate 2?
Player counts dropped dramatically after launch. SteamDB shows the game peaked at just under 26,000 concurrent players in June 2025 before falling to just a few hundred within three months. Current beta numbers haven’t been disclosed, but recent Steam reviews shifted to mostly positive, suggesting improvement.
What was the Make FPS Great Again controversy?
At Summer Game Fest during the game’s reveal, CEO Ian Proulx wore a hat reading Make FPS Great Again, sparking immediate backlash over the perceived political statement referencing Trump’s MAGA slogan. The controversy overshadowed the game announcement and contributed to negative sentiment around the launch.
Can Splitgate 2 succeed after this disaster?
It’s possible but challenging. The original Splitgate proved there’s audience demand for portal-based arena shooters, and recent beta feedback has been positive. However, convincing burned players to return while attracting new audiences in the crowded free-to-play shooter market will be extremely difficult regardless of how much the game improved.
The Bottom Line
Splitgate 2’s journey from disastrous launch to beta rebuild to December relaunch represents one of the most unusual release cycles in recent gaming. Most failed live-service games either shut down immediately or limp along with minimal support until eventual closure. 1047 Games chose the rare third option of admitting failure, rebuilding fundamentals, and trying again with humbler expectations and a better product. Whether this redemption arc succeeds or becomes a cautionary tale about throwing good money after bad won’t be known until December. But at minimum, the attempt deserves acknowledgment. The live-service market is brutal and unforgiving, where even AAA publishers with unlimited budgets watch games fail within weeks. An indie studio having the resources and determination to try again after such a public failure is noteworthy regardless of outcome. Come December, we’ll find out if six months of rebuilding was enough to capture what made the original Splitgate special, or if some disasters are simply too catastrophic to recover from no matter how much you try.