Splitgate 2 fails to regain player interest after controversial relaunch

Arena Reloaded launched on December 17, marking a major relaunch of Splitgate 2. The update introduced significant gameplay changes and expanded the shooter to consoles. According to developer 1047 Games, the relaunch has been successful, attracting more players than ever before.

In a developer blog post, the studio stated that over 150,000 players tried Splitgate: Arena Reloaded within its first five days, adding that player retention is currently the highest it has ever been.

“This signals that we are on the right path, and that players are enjoying the refined arena experience,” the developers said. “As the weeks go on, we will continue delivering both major and minor updates as we prepare for a larger marketing push in Q1 2026.”

However, SteamDB data paints a different picture. Over the past week, the game has averaged peak player counts of around 1,000 concurrent users, a sharp drop from the roughly 70,000 players seen during the game’s original beta period.

While Steam figures do not reflect console performance, they suggest that the relaunch has yet to recapture the scale of the audience achieved by the original release.

Despite this, 1047 Games has outlined a roadmap through March, promising new maps and weapons in upcoming updates.

Splitgate 2 originally launched in June 2025, but struggled with low player numbers and mixed reception. In July, the studio announced that the game would be effectively “unlaunched” to allow for a full rebuild.

The game’s initial release was also overshadowed by controversy after CEO Ian Proulx appeared at Summer Games Fest wearing a “Make FPS Great Again” hat. The slogan sparked backlash due to its political overtones, particularly as it coincided with President Donald Trump deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles, where the event took place. Proulx later issued an apology for the stunt.