Splitgate Fans Worried Sequel Has Lost Its 'Soul' Following Initial Reveal (Pure Xbox)
Image: 1047 Games

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games recently shared an official gameplay reveal trailer, and it's seemingly upset some of the original game's community.

After the breakout success of Splitgate (which drew comparisons to series like Halo, Call of Duty and Portal at the time of its release) some players are voicing their concerns about the sequel's transition to "hero" style and "class-based" gameplay - labelling this idea and even other aspects such as the art style "generic". There have even been claims the team has lost sight of what made the first game so great.

If you head over to the Steam forums, Reddit or check out the comments underneath the latest gameplay trailer, you'll see posts like "I am kinda fearful we're losing what made Splitgate unique" to criticisms about too much focus on "abilities". There have also been some comparisons to Sony's upcoming hero shooter Concord (which is seemingly dead on arrival), Blizzard's Overwatch series and the EA juggernaut Apex Legends.

PCGamesN news writer Jamie Hore chimed in on this as a fellow Splitgate fan, and hopes that the "soul of Splitgate" hasn't been lost in the process:

"Who knew that dropping real-time portals into a Halo-esque arena shooter would produce such an addictive gameplay loop with a super-high skill ceiling? It seems obvious now. As a result, I’ve been waiting in anticipation for its big budget, Unreal Engine 5 sequel, Splitgate 2, to arrive. This week, we all finally got the chance to see gameplay for the very first time, and it looks absolutely sensational – however, I’m a touch worried that it may have lost the soul of the original."

And here's just one of the many comments online suggesting Splitgate 2 may have lost sight of its original inspirations (via Steam):

"What made the original stand out was that it felt heavily inspired off Halo, where everyone is on equal ground, all with the same abilities and skills and access to weapons. It was a return to the roots of FPS with a twist. And now it's a return to modern trash by becoming a class based shooter like all the others. No thanks."

Although there are some concerns about this game at the moment, there are also some more optimistic takes. Of course, it's still very early days, and we're sure 1047 Games has a lot more to unpack leading up to the sequel's 2025 release date.

The developer officially describes Splitgate 2 as a "4v4 free-to-play shooter" where you "choose your faction, customize your weapons, master your portal skills, and play with friends as you compete for glory in a galactic arena".

This latest wave of feedback from the game's community follows the developer's decision to shorten the lifespan of the original Splitgate in hopes of moving on to bigger and better things (which turned out to be a direct sequel in the end).

What are your first impressions of the sequel's gameplay trailer? Did you play the first game? Let us know in the comments.