The arena shooterSplitgatehas recently found a spike in mainstream popularity.Will the game be able to keep players around for the long run?
1047 Games, the developers ofSplitgate, saw a surge in players with the release of their game on consoles and Season 0. As well as the console release,Splitgateunderwent a complete rebranding. It dropped the subtitle “Arena Warfare” and changing the game’s logo amongst other brand identity changes, helping it to fit into the modern environment it is competing in.
With this sudden increase in popularity, 1047 Games have had to act quickly withSplitgateto carve out a permanent section of the arena shooter player base.
Splitgateâs Current State and Recent News
With the release ofSpitgateSeason 0 and the battle pass that came with it, the title currently has 19 official game modes and an ever-growing amount of cosmetic items. Whilst cosmetics are good for screenshots and showing off to friends. It is the gameplay and game modes are that keep people engaged over time.
Splitgatealso features custom game lobbies that allow players to host games using the standard game modes with customisable settings.
The adjustable settings range from simple things such as player health and health regeneration to gravity and damage modifiers.
Features such as this add many more ways to play, though the tweet from the officialSplitgateTwitter will have players interested in seeing how the game will progress.
HaloForge is the map editor for theHalofranchise. Whilst it may not be called Forge, a map editor forSplitgatewould give players full customisation of how they want to play the game.
When paired with the custom game lobby system already within the game, this will massively increase replayability for players. Community-made maps and modes are what help developers fill the gaps between official content releases for multiplayer shooters.
To burst the bubble ofSplitgate’ssuccess,Steam Chartsshows the player base consistently dropping since the explosion of popularity in late July. While this is only statistics for PC, it is the most accurate and regularly updated information to indicate the game’s popularity.
There’s no cause for concern yet, as spikes such as this often take a month or two to stabilise. Though what may cause issues isHalo Infinite’sreleasebeingjust under two months away. 1047 Games will need to follow up on their statements and bring their game up to a standard that can compete with a significant triple-A release.
Key features such as game modes and maps will be the difference-maker. Whilst the portal system will always give it a unique selling point. If the game stagnates, players will move on to play the next new thing that is similar.
The importance of acting quick cannot be understated, asHalois not only a similarly styled FPS, but it is the FPS thatSplitgatehas taken the most inspiration from visually and in terms of gameplay.
The developers and devoted fan base will most likely get to see the potential longevity of the game as we enter 2022. By then, the fluctuation of the player base from the Season 0 update will have stabilised, and the release ofHalo Infinitewill have come and gone.
After that, 1047 Games will get accurate numbers on how many players across PC, Xbox and PlayStation are with them for the game’s future.
