When 1047 Games finally rolled out Splitgate 2 at Summer Game Fest, the excitement was electric—until the reveal took a nosedive. Players who fell in love with the original’s blend of Halo-style gunplay and mind-warping portals are now split between praise for tight mechanics and outrage over a $70 Nano Swarm skin bundle, a derivative Battle Royale pitch and a co-founder sporting a “Make FPS Great Again” hat on stage. As someone who’s clocked hundreds of hours chasing perfect portal jumps, I’m both impressed by the core gameplay and frustrated by the choices around monetization and messaging.
Within minutes of the showcase, the Splitgate subreddit lit up with memes mocking the price point. One top comment read, “At this rate I’ll need a second mortgage for a skin.” Twitter echoed the sentiment:
“$70 for some fancy shaders? Nah, I’d rather stick with classics,” tweeted @PortalProGamer.
Other threads dove deep into comparatives, pointing out that Fortnite’s Icon Series skins run about $20 each and Valorant’s Premium Battlepass is roughly $10, making Splitgate’s bundle feel out of step with industry norms.
| Game | Bundle | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Splitgate 2 | Nano Swarm | $70 (8,000 Splitcoins) |
| Fortnite | Icon Series Skin | $20 (1,500 V-Bucks) |
| Valorant | Premium Battlepass | $10 (960 VP) |
| CoD Warzone | Elite Season Pass | $50 |
That table speaks for itself: Splitgate 2 isn’t just slightly above market—it’s in another zip code.
In a June 14 blog post, 1047 Games tried to address concerns directly:
“We believe our Nano Swarm skins set a new standard for quality in free-to-play shooters,” the post read. “Each asset took our art team over 200 hours to perfect, and the 45% off label reflects the care and complexity behind these animations.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with IGN, co-founder Ian Proulx added, “We wanted to create a battle royale mode that feels like Splitgate, but we may have oversold how ‘genre-defining’ it would be. Feedback is coming in fast, and we’re listening.”
Not all feedback has been negative. A number of players praised the sequel’s fidelity to the original formula. One Discord user, ClipMaster92, wrote:
“I spent $30 on the Founders Pack, best decision ever. The new weapons skins and map layout freshened up my matches without killing my wallet. Gameplay is next-level.”
Another streamer, @GateJumperLive, said on Twitch:
“I’m seeing new players join every hour because the core loop is so addictive. If 1047 can tweak the store, this could become the next big esports hit.”
Splitgate 2 delivers one of the most satisfying arena shooter experiences in years, but its launch-day decisions have created unnecessary friction. Here’s how you can navigate the current landscape:
Looking ahead, I predict:
Steam reviews currently sit at a “Mixed” 66% rating—respectable, but a far cry from the glowing reception most free-to-play shooters aim for. History shows that studios who listen recover ground. For example, Destiny 2 rebounded after bolstering endgame rewards and adjusting microtransaction models based on fan feedback.
If 1047 Games swiftly addresses these concerns and leans into what made Splitgate special—tight portals, crisp gunplay, and a community-driven roadmap—they can turn this rocky debut into a legendary comeback. But the clock is ticking: in a genre flooded with alternatives, patience and goodwill won’t last forever.