The CEO of 1047 Games, Ian Proulx, has publicly apologized for wearing a “Make FPS Great again” hat while on stage at Summer games Fest in Los Angeles.The incident occurred during a segment hosted by Geoff Keighley, where Proulx announced a new battle royale mode for Splitgate 2 and voiced his opinions on the current state of the first-person shooter genre.

The hat, styled after former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, drew immediate criticism due to its perceived political connotations. This was further amplified by the fact that the event coincided wiht protests in Los Angeles related to immigration raids, during which President Trump had deployed National Guard troops.

Initially, Proulx defended his choice of attire, stating on social media that it was not intended as a political statement and should be taken “at face value.” However, he later reversed his position and issued a formal apology via the official Splitgate social media channels.

In a video statement, Proulx admitted that the hat was a “marketing stunt gone wrong.” He explained, “At our biggest stage, coming out of beta, we needed somthing to grab attention, and the honest truth is we tried to think of something, and this is what we came up with.”

Proulx continued, “We did not intend for this to be taken in any political way whatsoever. And I’m not an idiot: obviously I knew there would be some level of controversy.”

He further clarified, “But we really saw this as a meme that was stating our truth, which is we do want to improve this genre and we are disappointed with the state of the genre.”

Proulx concluded his apology by saying, “The truth is I am sorry, and the reason I’m sorry is because of what this has done to the community… There’s division in the community, and for that I am truly sorry.”

Community Reaction and Fallout

The incident sparked a wide range of reactions within the gaming community, with some criticizing Proulx for what they saw as a tone-deaf and politically charged statement, while others defended his right to express himself. the apology has been met with mixed responses, as well.

“The truth is I am sorry, and the reason I’m sorry is because of what this has done to the community… There’s division in the community, and for that I am truly sorry.”

The State of the FPS Genre

Proulx’s comments about wanting to “improve this genre” touch on a broader conversation within the gaming world about innovation, competition, and player satisfaction in the first-person shooter category. The genre has seen both successes and stagnation in recent years, leading to ongoing debates about its future.