Splitgate 2 CEO shares “Fun First” Approach to Game Design

According to its CEO, the main focus of the sequel to the beloved but short-lived Splitgate is to prioritize “fun first”above all other elements.

Despite the main topic being the developers’ strategy for balancing the meta, Proulx emphasized the main focus of the sequel in comparison to its predecessor. This time, the design process prioritized fun above all else:

One of our main principles for design is prioritizing fun, and we make sure to communicate this to every member of our team. This applies to the art team as well, as we want them to focus on creating not just visually appealing maps, but also ones that will be enjoyable for players. The design and level design teams also keep this in mind, as our goal is to make maps that are fun for everyone, rather than solely competitive.

Splitgate 2 overhead view of arena — 1047 Games

The idea of Splitgate 2 potentially joining the Esports world in the future was highlighted by Proulx, but he also explained why it wasn’t a top priority.

“Our current focus is on creating a fun game, which aligns with our philosophical approach. While the game’s PvP shooter elements and inclusion of portals make it ideal for potential Esports, our top priority remains providing an enjoyable experience for players.”

Despite mentioning the helpfulness of receiving feedback from competitive modes compared to a fun, party mode, the idea of the game becoming an Esport was not a central aspect of its design.

What was the issue with the original Splitgate in terms of enjoyment? Proulx provided an explanation for what 1047 Games aimed to address in the first game while developing the sequel:

“Splitgate was an incredibly enjoyable game that attracted many players who would stay engaged for a period of three to four weeks.”

Splitgate 2 shooting while sprinting — 1047 Games

According to Proulx, players would initially stop playing after about a month, believing they had experienced everything the game had to offer and that it had not changed.

Additionally, he explained that the reason for the lack of updates was because 1047 Games is a relatively small team of only 15-20 individuals. However, the development team for Splitgate 2 is much larger, with approximately 175 people involved.

This implied that the sequel would have a greater potential for releasing thrilling updates in comparison to the initial game.

1047 Games has announced that Splitgate 2 will be released in 2025 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The company has already conducted a Closed Alpha, but players can anticipate additional playtests leading up to the official launch.