EMPULSE Launches into Early Access on PC and Xbox
After a successful week during Steam Next Fest and over 250,000 wishlists, EMPULSE has officially entered Early Access. The game is available now on PC via Steam and on Xbox Series X|S, with a PlayStation 5 launch slated for a later date once final certification is complete.
To celebrate the launch, 1047 Games has set the price at $14.99 for the first week—a 25% discount off the eventual $19.99 retail price. Notably, the team has confirmed there are no microtransactions, battle passes, or in-game stores at the start of Early Access, focusing instead on community-driven development.
New Content and Ranked Play
The Early Access build expands significantly on the content featured in the Steam Next Fest demo. Players now have access to a new map called Drainage and a fresh VIP-style game mode, Mech Bounty. In this mode, each team fields a mech; taking down the opposing mech nets five points, while standard kills are worth one point, placing a high premium on team coordination.
For those looking to prove their skill, a Ranked Playlist has been added for 4v4 matches across Upload, Control, and Intel modes. Players must complete ten placement matches to determine their starting rank, with the playlist unlocking after reaching 50,000 Account XP.
Gigs, Challenges, and Rewards
Progression in EMPULSE is handled through a system called Gigs. These include:
- Daily Gigs: Challenges that refresh every 24 hours to award Cred.
- Mastery Gigs: Weapon-specific challenges that allow players to unlock unique mastery camos.
- Crew Gigs: Bi-weekly challenges tied to either the Loyalist or Unbound factions.
- The Sprint: A phased challenge system offering serialized Legendary rewards. The first player to complete a phase earns the #1 serialized skin, with the system tracking up to 9,999,999 recipients.
Players can use the Cred earned through these activities to visit the Broker and trade for HDD Drops, which contain random weapon skins ranging from Rare to Legendary. Some skins feature “kill counter” variants to track performance in-game.
Referral Program and Twitch Drops
1047 Games is incentivizing community growth with a new referral program. Players can share a personal code with friends; successful referrals can earn the referrer a real-money payout of up to $5, depending on the region. Both the referrer and the new player also receive in-game Cred. While currently limited to the US and EU due to regional restrictions, the team is exploring ways to expand the program.
Additionally, Twitch Drops are running from June 24 through July 8, 2026. By linking a 1047 Games account to Twitch, viewers can earn the "Sorcery" weapon skin collection: one hour of watch time unlocks the first set of six skins, while two hours unlocks a second set of six.
1047 Games has committed to frequent, player-led updates throughout the Early Access period, utilizing surveys and active community participation on Discord and Reddit to shape the game's evolution.