Embracer Group has made good on its promise, deciding the fate of UK-based TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design after a consultation process that concluded on 11th December. Or at least we have to assume so, the embattled company hasn't made an announcement or anything; Free Radical's website is simply gone, with a message left behind that reads: "404 Company Not Found [sad smiley face]"
As reported by VGC, multiple developers have posted on LinkedIn, claiming that the 80 remaining staff left at the Nottingham studio have been let go. A senior artist wrote: “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 put things more bleakly but accurately described the current state of game development writ large: “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.”
Fans have been anticipating a return to TimeSplitters ever since the IP was procured by Koch Media, now known as Plaion, which is itself a subsidiary of Embracer Group. It looks like those hopes have been dashed, and as ever, we wish all those effected by the company's restructuring the best and that they land on their feet.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 24
If Embracer hadn’t been stupid and waited to be sure they had the money before going on their spending spree, this wouldn’t have happened!
This isn't good.
That's another studio Geoff Keighley can conveniently forget about the next time he does a show.
Can the team not get back together and start a new little studio?
Can we give a moment to thank Embracer Group for absolutely nothing?
All these missed opportunities by Sony to purchase some top notch devs. Such talent going to waste. This is such sad news especially just before Christmas.
brutal fate for a once talented studio. they hadn't put out a good game since 2005 (timesplitters future perfect) so this isn't exactly shocking news. fans of timesplitters hoped there might be a revival some day but that is out of the question now. not sure how many of the original devlopers were still working under embracer — my guess is not many. best bet is to regoup and form their own studio with backers funding a spiritual successor to timesplitters. the modern gaming landscape is cutthroat and survival of the fittest on a level we have never seen.
Sad to see Free Radical vanish, wish all the best to everyone going forward.
Oh, and Embracer Group? As always, go [bleep] yourself.
I don't know but I have this feeling that Embracer is not a gaming company, they just play with assets by buying this and shutting that
Should have gone with Timesplitters 4 over Haze.
That was the beginning of the end for them and we've all lost out.
This sucks. Hopefully all the devs can land on their feet as soon as possible
Surely a case for Sony Studios Nottingham or even Xbox Studios Nottingham?
@LifeGirl I know everyone slates it but I really liked Haze.
Always seems to happen just before Christmas, reducing overheads before the new financial year🙄
God knows why anyone would want a 'career' (can it even be called that?) in video game development after this year.
Yay, thanks Embracer! I really REALLY hope you close a few more studios!
@sanderson72 Would you really trust Xbox to run them?
Sadly can't see all these closures just merely end the blood letting with Embracer sitting on a bunch of dead IP's gathering dust. Whether Embracer survives itself or not,these IP's will end up in a fire sale to lord knows where.🤔
It's a little bit surprising none of the big three saw an opportunity to snap up some sort of exclusivity on Timesplitters,you would've thought it'd been a cheap buy for it.
Yeah, as i said before it was crappy how they were handling it and giving people false hope.
I can understand they need to downsize, but don't lie to people. Be honest and upfront. They deserve that. Giving false hope just prolongs the pain.
@MidnightDragonDX Exactly, Embracer engaged in a ridiculously unsustainable business model.
@Robocod Of the big 3 only Xbox/MS needs more IP and they seem more interested in buying current IP rather than reviving old ones. Heck just look at how their attempt at reviving Perfect Dark is going. Also, while Timesplitters has a passionate and loyal fan base, it's not a very large one. Go ahead and ask your average millennial or gen z gamer about Timesplitters and you'll most likely get a response of "what's that"
Although I’m not directly affected, I’m disgusted and quite angry that Embracer Group were allowed to do this campaign of rabid purchasing and mass culling of studios. One of the most appalling business moves in recent times.
@Porco it's not out of the question, I'm pretty sure embracer own dambuster studios which is supposed to be made up of ex free radical/crytek uk devs.
@theSpectre Not really, but it'd be better than no-one running them and them disappearing into the history books along with Studio Liverpool and Evolution (different circumstances, I know)
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