The story of Splitgate and its creators at 1047 Games defies all logic in a time where new multiplayer shooters struggle to stand out. After a rocky start, Splitgate resurfaced with console ports in 2021 and became the hottest free-to-play game of that summer. The team of around 20 at 1047 Games, who had spent months dealing with the unexpected popularity of Splitgate, decided to start working on a sequel instead of trying to keep up with content demands for the first game. Splitgate 2 would be a fresh start on an upgraded Unreal Engine 5, designed from the ground up with “triple-A everything.” The first few months of development were spent brainstorming what kind of shooter Splitgate 2 would be. They landed on an intriguing combination of different elements: Splitgate 2 has three classes with unique pools of weapons and gear that can be customized, plus Halo-style power weapons that spawn on maps. Each of these factions – Aeros, Sabrask, and Meridian – were designed to accommodate three distinct playstyles. The game’s map design also took a major divergence from its predecessor. The bowl-shaped arenas of Splitgate 1 were replaced with “three-lane style” maps closer in feel to Call of Duty than Halo. The goal was to provide more structure and readability in the maps. Additionally, Splitgate 2 introduces a new mode called Hot Zone, which aims to make kills matter while still allowing respawning. The round-based mode features increasing respawn timers throughout the length of a round, creating intense and rewarding gameplay experiences. The game’s seasonal content plan is also a focus for the developers. They aim to regularly introduce new modes and featured playlists that rotate in and out, alongside a set of “core” modes that are always available. This approach is intended to keep the live service game feeling fresh beyond just cosmetics. While the specifics of monetization and progression in Splitgate 2 are not yet revealed, the focus is currently on an upcoming playtest where players will experience the big changes in the game. The future of Splitgate aims to embody an old-school spirit with its classes, laned maps, and gun customization, steering away from being labeled as a Call of Duty-style shooter and sticking to a hip-fire, old school Splitgate/Halo style shooter. Overall, Splitgate 2 seems to be taking a bold step forward with its sequel, addressing the shortcomings of the original game and introducing new elements to enhance the player experience. With its unique class system, diverse map design, and innovative game mode, Splitgate 2 has the potential to carve out its own space in the competitive multiplayer shooter genre. It will be interesting to see how the game evolves through its development and how it will be received by players once it is released.