In this episode of Xbox Expansion Pass, Luke Lohr (Insipid Ghost) sits down with Ian Proulx, CEO and co-founder of 1047 Games, for a candid discussion about Splitgate’s past year, the Summer Game Fest moment, and the lessons learned along the way.Ian reflects on the challenges of building a sequel versus a new IP, why Splitgate 2 missed expectations for some players, and the difficult decision to reset and relaunch the game as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. From there, the conversation shifts into gameplay philosophy, retention metrics, portal accessibility, monetization, and what “stabilizing” the game actually means heading into 2026.This is a thoughtful, direct conversation about course correction, leadership, and rebuilding trust — without framing anyone as a villain or a victim.Topics discussed include:The Summer Game Fest moment and how it reshaped the Splitgate conversationLessons learned from that period and what Ian would do differentlyWhy building a sequel is different than building a new IPWhere Splitgate 2 missed player expectationsThe decision to pull the game back and resetArena Reloaded’s refocus on classic arena gameplayArena Royale explainedRetention, requeue rate, and how 1047 measures successPortal balance and accessibility toolsMonetization philosophy and rebuilding player trustPerformance, polish, and the quality bar moving forward👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise.Support XEP:Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/XboxExpansionPassFollow & Contact:BlueSky (Luke): @InsipidGhostBlueSky (Logun): @CaptLogunContact: [email protected]More XEP & Friends:Keelhauled – A Sea of Thieves Podcast: https://captlogun.podbean.comReview the show:If you enjoy XEP, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify — it’s one of the best ways to support the show. Thank you!