Highlights
- TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design is shutting down just two and a half years after starting development on a new game.
- The studio, known for the cult-classic TimeSplitters trilogy, faced financial troubles in the past and was rebranded multiple times.
- The closure of Free Radical Design is part of Embracer Group's cost-cutting measures, resulting in layoffs for dozens of employees and potentially ending development on the new TimeSplitters project.
TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design confirms that it's officially shutting down just two and a half years after a new TimeSplitters game entered development. Some of the developers from Free Radical Design took to social media to share their farewells with colleagues and TimeSplitters fans.
Free Radical Design opened its doors in April 1999 and went on to develop the cult-classic TimeSplitters trilogy. The studio faced bankruptcy in 2008 after releasing the PS3-exclusive first-person shooter Haze, which was poorly received by gamers and critics alike. Although Crytek bought Free Radical Design in 2009 and rebranded it to Crytek UK, the studio's financial woes did not end there. By 2014, most of the Crytek UK staff transferred to Dambuster Studios after Deep Silver acquired the Homefront IP rights. Nearly seven years later, Embracer Group announced that Free Radical Design would be reformed as a subsidiary of Deep Silver in 2021, and work would begin on a new TimeSplitters game.
TimeSplitters Developer Could Be Shutting Down
TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design may soon close its doors permanently amid parent company Embracer Group’s ongoing reorganization.
Despite the lack of an official statement from Embracer Group, employees from Free Radical Design took to Twitter to confirm that December 11 was their last day at the TimeSplitters development studio. One of these developers is Free Radical Design senior artist Mark Keighley, who confirmed that the studio is officially closed when replying to a Twitter user. Moreover, Free Radical Design's official website now displays a message stating "404 Company Not Found," and all other pages on the website have been taken down.
Timesplitters Developers Say Farewell to Free Radical Design
The studio's closure was just a few weeks removed from that reports claimed Embracer Group was already preparing to shut down Free Radical Design this past November. A leaked email from Plaion VP Lars Jannsen revealed that the parent company was in the process of finalizing a consultation process on Free Radical Design, noting a potential closure date of December 11. Although the email's phrasing suggests a more positive outcome was possible, Embracer Group's massive cost-cutting measures meant that a closure was more than likely at the time. Wingefors attributes these measures to the "worsening global economy" as the gaming industry experiences a record number of layoffs in 2023.
Free Radical Design's closure means dozens of employees have been added to the growing list of over 900 people laid off by Embracer Group since June 2023. In addition, the studio's shutdown most likely spells the end of development on the new TimeSplitters project, extending the seemingly perpetual wait for a new entry in the beloved franchise.
TimeSplitters Future Perfect
- Platform(s)
- GameCube , PS2 , Xbox (Original)
- Released
- March 21, 2005
- Developer(s)
- Free Radical Design
- Publisher(s)
- EA
