Honestly, checking the Splitgate 2 player count right now feels a bit like looking at a ghost town that just got a fresh coat of paint. You remember the original Splitgate, right? That "Halo meets Portal" fever dream that exploded out of nowhere in 2021? It had 67,000 people jumping through hoops—literally—at its peak. Fast forward to 2026, and the sequel, now rebranded as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, is fighting for its life to even keep a thousand people online at once.
It’s weird.
1047 Games had a massive team of over 200 people working on this. They had the funding, they had the hype, and they had the Unreal Engine 5 gloss. Yet, the numbers are telling a story that most fans didn't see coming back when the first trailers dropped. If you're wondering if the game is "dead" or just "niche," the answer depends entirely on how much you enjoy waiting in a matchmaking queue.
What is the current Splitgate 2 player count?
If we're looking strictly at the Steam data for January 2026, the situation is... well, it’s shaky. On average, Splitgate 2 (Arena Reloaded) is seeing about 700 to 950 concurrent players on Steam. During the big "Arena Reloaded" relaunch on December 17, 2025, the game saw a brief spike to around 2,300 players.
That sounds okay for an indie game, but this isn't an indie project anymore.
When you compare it to the June 2025 launch—which hit a peak of 25,785 players—the drop-off is staggering. We’re talking about losing over 90% of the player base in less than a year. Even the original Splitgate, which is still technically playable, is hovering at double-digit numbers, essentially becoming a digital relic.
Does crossplay save the numbers?
The developers at 1047 Games have been pretty vocal about one thing: "Steam Charts don't measure fun." They've also pointed out that Steam only shows a slice of the pie. Splitgate 2 is on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and last-gen consoles.
📖 Related: Rummy Rules Explained: What Most People Get Wrong About This Classic Card Game
While we don't have a live ticker for consoles, historical trends suggest the total cross-platform player count is likely between 2,000 and 4,000 players during peak hours. It’s enough to find a 4v4 match in under three minutes, but it's a far cry from the "AAA-killer" status the studio was aiming for.
Why did everyone leave Splitgate 2?
You can’t talk about the Splitgate 2 player count without talking about the "Make FPS Great Again" incident.
In June 2025, CEO Ian Proulx went on stage at Summer Game Fest wearing a hat with that slogan. It was supposed to be a cheeky marketing stunt. Instead, it went over like a lead balloon. Critics and fans found it cringey, and it overshadowed the actual game launch. But the problems weren't just about a hat.
- The Beta Rollback: Only two months after the full June release, 1047 Games did something almost unheard of. They "unlaunched" the game. They put it back into beta, admitted it wasn't ready, and went silent for months to rework the core mechanics.
- Identity Crisis: The original sequel launched with a "faction" system that felt way too much like Overwatch or XDefiant. Fans hated it. They wanted portals and gunplay, not hero abilities.
- The Competition: December 2025 was a bloodbath for shooters. While Splitgate 2 was trying to relaunch as Arena Reloaded, it was going head-to-head with Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders.
Is Splitgate: Arena Reloaded actually better?
The December relaunch actually fixed a lot. They ditched the factions. They brought back the "pure" arena shooter feel. They even added next-gen remakes of classic maps like Karman Station and Abyss.
But there's a problem with gaming in 2026: first impressions are everything.
The Splitgate 2 player count is struggling because once a casual audience leaves a game, getting them back is like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. The people playing right now are the die-hards. They love the portal mechanics. They love the high skill ceiling. But the "sweatiness" of the remaining player base makes it really hard for new players to jump in without getting absolutely demolished.
The bot problem
When player counts dip below 1,000 on a platform, developers usually start filling lobbies with bots to keep queue times low. 1047 Games has tried to minimize this, but if you’re playing at 3 AM on a Tuesday, don't be surprised if "Player 4" moves in a very predictable straight line. It’s a survival tactic for the game, but it hurts the soul of a competitive shooter.
👉 See also: Why Mods for The Sims 1 Are Making a Massive Comeback in 2026
What happens next for 1047 Games?
It’s not all doom and gloom, though it definitely feels gray. The studio still has funding, and they’re actively patching the game. They recently announced that they’re focusing on "quality over quantity," moving away from the massive marketing stunts and back to community-driven updates.
The reality? The Splitgate 2 player count probably won't ever hit 100,000. It might not even hit 10,000 again. But as long as there are a few thousand people who want to shoot through portals, the servers will likely stay on. The question is whether 1047 Games can scale their business down to support a "cult classic" rather than a "global phenomenon."
How to check the stats yourself
If you want to keep an eye on the pulse of the game, here’s where to look:
- SteamDB: This is the gold standard for PC numbers. Look for "SPLITGATE: Arena Reloaded."
- Twitch Tracker: If the game has fewer than 500 viewers, it's usually a sign that the "hype" is flatlined.
- Official Discord: The "looking for group" (LFG) channels are the best way to see how active the actual community is. If people are finding matches in seconds, the game is healthy enough for you to play.
Actionable Steps for Players
If you’re thinking about jumping back in or trying it for the first time, don't let the low numbers scare you off entirely. Just go in with your eyes open.
🔗 Read more: Pick 3 All States: Why You Keep Chasing the Same Numbers
- Stick to Peak Hours: Play between 6 PM and 10 PM EST. This is when the Splitgate 2 player count is at its highest, ensuring you face real humans instead of AI bots.
- Enable Crossplay: Do not turn this off. You need the console players to keep the matchmaking pool deep enough to function.
- Join the Discord: Since the in-game social features are still being polished in the Arena Reloaded version, the Discord is the only way to find consistent teammates who actually use their mics.
- Focus on Featured Playlists: Don't queue for obscure modes. Stick to the "Featured" or "Ranked" lists to ensure the fastest possible match times.
The game is technically in the best state it’s ever been in. It’s just a shame that most of the world has already moved on. Whether 1047 Games can pull off a No Man’s Sky style redemption remains to be seen, but for now, the portals are still open—even if there aren't many people walking through them.
Check the SteamDB charts every Tuesday after patch updates to see if the community is actually growing or just stabilizing.