Fans, both new and old, Split gate universe finally get their hands on Split gate 2‘s early play session, and while they recognize the game as a shooter, it just doesn’t feel like the Split gate from the past.

Fearing the worst, some fans of the franchise believe Split gate 2 plays much more like every other class-based game and hero shooter out there, and has moved away from what made it unique. The signs that the sequel would follow the generic hero shooter model were there early on when the trailer came out, but Split gate Fans hoped that developer 1047 Games would maintain the series’ identity in the sequel.

That dream now appears to be shattered, with players on social media reporting that they found the game slower, that the addition of factions was confusing, that portals seemed to be a much lower priority, and that the game’s map design felt bland.

People have the new version of Split gate because it is much closer to Ubisoft’s new shooter XChallenging. Both titles emphasize playing as a member of a faction with unique abilities and gadgets that affect team composition in squad-based gameplay. Other comparisons have been made with THE FINALbut the most unfortunate comparison is with an Unreal Engine starter game, Winch.

Winch And Split gate 2 mostly aesthetic and map similarities, but that’s not what players are unhappy about—it’s that the games are supposedly too similar. Fans are most upset about the creativity that Split gate aside from the audience it doesn’t feel that present and some diehard fans of the series just want to play an improved version of the old game they loved so much.

Despite this, Split gate 2 may not be dead on arrival. Others are really enjoying the way the new game plays. Some are even saying that the maneuverability issues are more of a skill issue than anything else. What could save Split gate 2 is this the so-called skill drop, where a newer group believes that portals were some kind of chore in the old Split gate, and that the new maps are “fantastic.”

It is clear that there is a rift within the player base, with the belief that 1047 Games is striving to be more commercially viable rather than the Halo—as it made them popular in the first place—but do the consequences of 1047’s actions outweigh the loss of its core fanbase? The presence of new gamers enjoying these changes is an indication that there is a market, but it begs the question of just how big that market is.

There is time for Split gate 2 to please its fans. 1047 is usually receptive and committed to fulfilling player requests, but this could demonstrate the need for a broader conversation between developers and gamers about what the vision for this game should be.

Split gate 2The alpha version has started, but we don’t expect to release the game until 2025.