releaseJul 25, 2026
EMPULSE Update #3 Brings ADS, Custom Games, and Two Revamped Maps
Early Access Update #3 for EMPULSE arrives July 31st, and developer 1047 Games describes it as the largest content update shipped since the game's Early Access launch.
What changed
- Aim Down Sights (ADS) goes permanent. After a trial run in the Experimental Playlist — where players submitted feedback — ADS is leaving the experimental tier and becoming a standard part of the game. Further details on its integration are promised before the update ships.
- Custom Games v1. Players can now host private matches for friends, communities, and events. The studio is framing this as an early iteration and is soliciting feedback on what to expand.
- Harbor and Plaza receive visual overhauls. Layouts and movement lines are unchanged; the update delivers new textures, surfaces, and atmospheric detail.
- Bots can pilot Mechs, a feature noted as a complement to Custom Games.
- New weapon camos at Rare and Epic tiers across multiple weapons.
- Performance improvements targeting Seadock, Harbor, and Plaza specifically.
For players who have wanted to run community events or simply practice with friends, the Custom Games addition closes a meaningful gap — while ADS completing its public trial marks the Experimental Playlist doing exactly what it was designed to do.