TimeSplitters Developer Free Radical Design Has Shut Down - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 11 December 2023 / 2,456 Views
Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors recently stated TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design could be shut down on December 11. It has been confirmed via employees on social media the studio has officially closed as of today.
The website for Free Radical Design now displays the text "404 Company Not Found :-(."
"The last day at FRD was very different from what I imagined," said former senior tech artist at Free Radical Design Adam Kiraly via Twitter. "I don't think it sunk in properly just yet, but handed my keys in and left the building the last time. It's Time to Split."
The last day at FRD was very different from what I imagined. I don't think it sunk in properly just yet, but handed my keys in and left the building the last time. It's Time to Split pic.twitter.com/n1UGELsoED
— Adam Kiraly (@94Kiraly) December 11, 2023
"Well, that’s it, officially the final day of our time at Free Radical Design and an entire studio (just over 80 people) is out of work," said a former IT manager at Free Radical Design (via VideoGamesChronicle). "It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with everyone here. There are some supremely talented people that are now in need of work."
A senior artist on LinkedIn added, "And it’s over. My final day at Free Radical Design. It sees myself and just over 80 people out of work at the worst time of year for it to happen."
A QA designer stated, "Free Radical Design was a hub of creativity, but sadly, we join an ever-growing list of casualties in a broken industry where entire studios are treated as replaceable cogs in a soulless machine fixated on nothing but share prices."
Embracer has been laying off employees and closing studios for the past six months.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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This makes me so sad. The chances of us ever getting a new TimeSplitters game or even a remake are pretty low now.
This sucks so bad, did they not confirm that Timesplitters 4 was in development not too long ago?
It's why the studio reformed. Embracer apparently not giving them the time they needed to make the product.
Yup they were working on it since 2021. Embracer owns the IP so hopefully we at least get a remaster.
So then the Embracer group just seem to buy/set up studios just to shut them down it would seem.
