While I personally thought Splitgate 2 was a lot of fun, there’s no denying that the ambitious sequel to the Portal-meets Halo shooter got the room wrong in some key areas. It was bloated with ideas that weren’t really needed to pursue Call of Duty -level content, and so it never attracted the audience it needed. Less than two months later, 1047 Games returned Splitgate 2 to beta status, but recently promised to bring it back by the end of the year. Now, we have a release date, some stripped-down gameplay confirmation, and a brand new name confirmation. Splitgate 2 is now obsolete. meet Split Gate Arena has been reloaded.
I loved the original Splitgate, but it lacked the polish and rhythm of content needed to compete with the biggest and best FPS games. After raising a large amount of investment capital, Splitgate 2 seemed to be the perfect solution. It’s the same portal-based action reimagined in Unreal Engine 5, packed with as many modes, maps, and weapons as possible. But I (and many others) think that’s overkill. There’s so much on offer that it’s hard to know where to look, and while the gameplay loop reminds me of the first game, which I loved, the introduction of hero shooter elements and abilities has diminished that appeal. As a result, it was back to square one, and with its re-release as Splitgate Arena Reloaded, we finally got to see what 1047 had been up to.
The heading changes are as follows: Splitgate 2’s controversial heroes and abilities are gone. Instead, you’ll find something closer to the gameplay of the original Splitgate, with an emphasis on movement, gunfire, and, of course, portal placement.
“We’ve worked hard to rebuild the game from the ground up, taking the best of Splitgate 1 and Splitgate 2, removing what didn’t work, and improving on what did,” said Design Director Josh Watson.
“Split Gate was a love letter to the arena shooters we grew up playing,” he added. “Unreal Tournament, Quake, Halo – it’s the games that make this genre special, and with Arena Reloaded, it’s our goal to introduce that feeling to a whole new generation.”
Focused on old-school shooting gameplay, the game brings a “true classic arena mode with new arena modes, playlist selections, even starts and power-ups.” Some of the big experiences that had a huge impact on Splitgate 2, like the 24-player Onslaught mode and the Apex Legends-esque battle royale attempt, aren’t mentioned here, which is encouraging. However, there is no clear confirmation that they have been abandoned.
You can also expect five new and six “completely remade” maps, three new primary weapons, and the addition of the railgun as an even more powerful weapon.
Splitgate Arena Reloaded also promises a rebuilt progression system and reimagined ranked play, giving you a more satisfying way to climb the competitive ladder. Another pain point with the launch of Splitgate 2 has also been addressed, with 1047 promising “lower in-store prices” and “improved overall visual quality.” The battle pass system has also been “simplified”.
So, from the ashes of Splitgate 2 was born Splitgate Arena Reloaded, launching as a free-to-play game on Steam and Epic Games Store on Wednesday, December 17th. I have high hopes that this second attempt will find the sweet spot and encourage players to return to Arena Reloaded and give the game another chance.
