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After appearing at Summer Games Fest, Splitgate 2 receives harsh criticism

The start of Summer Games Fest is providing plenty to talk about in 2025. The focus is on a bold announcement, a “Make FPS great again” cap, and a game mode that has been established for years.

Late on Friday evening German time, Ian Proulx left no doubt about how convinced he is of Splitgate 2. Even before the CEO of developer 1047 Games had said a word, his headgear underscored the motto of the arena shooter with portals. “Make FPS great again” was emblazoned on the cap, in reference to US President Donald Trump’s credo.

Setting the tone with his fashion choice, the 1047 co-founder’s short monologue was also confident. “I grew up with Halo. I’m tired of playing the same Call of Duty every year. And I wish we had Titanfall 3,” he said, explaining the development of the second Splitgate installment. After these pithy words about the game released at the end of May, Proulx finally revealed why he had come to the Summer Games Fest: “Splitgate Battle Royale is now available for free.”

Big words, little substance?

What initially sounded uncontroversial has since sparked a wave of criticism against the game and its developers. There are various negative posts about the presentation on social media. The Steam reviews of Splitgate 2 are also full of comments about the Summer Games Fest. The unanimous opinion: Proulx’s appearance and statement about wanting to make FPS titles great again are exaggerated in light of the announcement of a battle royale.

Battle royale and monetization are old hat

It cannot be denied that battle royales are anything but revolutionary. In 2017, Fortnite and PUBG, perhaps the most important contemporary representatives of the genre, hit the market and started the hype around the “last man standing” principle. Since then, there have been numerous games that have integrated the concept or relied on it completely.

Among the biggest battle royale titles is Call of Duty: Warzone, part of the very series that Proulx criticized at the Summer Games Fest – as the community also noticed. “You took a jab at Call of Duty on stage, but in Splitgate 2 you copied Warzone’s mechanics for your battle royale and released an $80 skin pack,” gaming YouTuber ‘HunterTV’ said on X.

As HunterTV already points out, Splitgate 2, as a free-to-play title, also uses monetization methods that have been established for years. “You open the game and there are three currencies, a Battle Pass, and a $34 portal skin that makes your portal white,” emphasizes YouTube colleague Stryxo.

Proulx sticks to his opinion

A few hours after the Summer Games Fest opened, Proulx responded personally to the backlash with an X-post. “I’m not here to apologize, but to clarify something,” he began, first addressing his cap: “This is not a political statement, it is meant literally, so take it at face value.”

He then reiterated his opinion that the state of multiplayer FPS games is tragically boring. It’s a status quo that 1047 Games hopes to correct, “whether you want arena, battle royale, onslaught, or map creator.”

To Proulx’s credit, he and his team certainly achieved what he hopes to achieve with the sequel with the first installment of Splitgate: the inclusion of portals as a tactical element brought momentum to the shooter landscape and, according to his own statement, thrilled around 20 million players. His confident demeanor and belief in his own product are therefore not just a necessary sales tactic, but are based on solid foundations.

Dwarfs on the shoulders of giants

At the same time, it’s clear that neither Splitgate spin-off completely reinvents the shooter genre. Arena shooters such as Overwatch (2016) already existed before the release of the first installment, and Quake Champions, one of the forefathers of the genre, received a refresh in 2022. Battle royale modes are also not new to Fortnite and Co., and the free-to-play approach and associated monetization are the economic basis of most mobile games.

Of course, it is perfectly legitimate and even unavoidable to play with existing genres and use established modes, mechanics, or monetization strategies. After all, they have proven themselves for a reason. On the other hand, a clever twist in the right place is often enough to spark new enthusiasm for a familiar system. However, it is important to be aware of the groundwork that has been laid so as not to stand in your own way.f

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