Publisher Deep Silver, owned by Embracer Group, announced in 2021 that it was reforming Time Splitters developer Free Radical Design to begin development on a new entry in the series. Now, a new report from Video Games Chronicle says that this revamped free-radical design could face a complete shutdown, adding to Embracer’s ongoing restructuring that has resulted in the closure of studios such as Saints Row developer Volition Games. .
Yesterday, Embracer COO Egil Strunke announced that he has stepped down from his position to start a new game company, as reported PC gamer, In the midst of Embracer’s difficult year. today, VGC According to the report, people familiar with Free Radical Design’s affairs say the studio has been part of an evaluation within Embracer and could result in the studio’s closure. Plaion, the Embracer division that runs Free Radical Design, is required by UK law to consult with employees at least 30 days before termination, the publication writes. This law is likely how Free Radical Design employees learned about the potential shutdown.
VGC Note that on LinkedIn and social media, at least 15 Free Radical Design employees have said they are looking for a new job within the last 24 hours. Sports Informer Free Radical Design has reached out to Embracer seeking confirmation and further details about the potential closure, and will update this story if more information becomes available.
As noted. VGC, while the studio may close, it’s not guaranteed yet. It could be acquired by a third party interested in the team, or left open with Embracer having a change of heart.
Embracer-owned publisher Deep Silver, which also published that year’s Dead Island 2, announced in 2021 that it had reformed the original TimeSplitters developer, Free Radical Design, to create a new TimeSplitters game. This new version of Free Radical Design features key members of the original team, including founders Steve Ellis and David Duke, both of whom worked on games like Golden E-007 and Perfect Dark while previously employed at Rare. .
The first iteration of Free Radical Design was purchased by Crytek in 2009 and then rebranded as Crytek UK. However, it was shut down in 2014, with most of the staff moving to Dead Island 2 developer Deep Silver Dambuster Studios, which also developed Homefront: The Revolution.
DeepSilver owners Koch Media purchased the TimeSplitters IP in 2018, in the process officially making FreeRadical Design a DeepSilver studio, all now under the Embracer Group umbrella after Embraceer purchased Koch Media in 2018.
Free Radical Design was slated to develop the fourth Time Splitters game in the series, but its future as a studio is now unclear.
A potential free-radical design shutdown joins a growing list of unfortunate holidays affecting studios this year. Yesterday, Ubisoft laid off more than 100 employees, and last week, nearly 100 employees were laid off at Destiny 2 developer Bungie.
In January, Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees amid its ongoing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which it completed last month.
In August, Striking Distance Studios, the team behind last year’s The Callisto Protocol, laid off more than 30 employees, and in the same month, Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare announced the long-term laid off 50 employees, including studio veterans. The following month, in September, Amrita of Avum developer Ascendant Studios laid off about 45 percent of its staff.
Just last month, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog laid off at least 25 employees, and Telltale Games also went through layoffs, though the actual number of layoffs has not yet been revealed. And in late October, Dreams developer Media Molecule laid off 20 employees.
heart of Sports Informer The staff is with everyone affected by these layoffs and Free Radical Design.
[Source: VideoGamesChronicle]