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Embracer-owned Time Splitters studio Free Radical reportedly facing closure
08.11.2023 - 18:39 / eurogamer.net / Dambuster Studios / Steve Ellis / David Doak
Time Splitters studio Free Radical is reportedly the latest developer to be affected by Embracer Group's sweeping restructuring programme, with the studio said to be facing closure.
Free Radical's history is a long one and complicated one; the studio was founded in 1999 by a number of ex-Rare developers and quickly made a name for itself with the much-loved TimeSplitters FPS series. In 2009, after several difficult years, it was acquired by Crytek, becoming Crytek UK, who then sold it to Deep Silver in 2014, where it became Dambuster Studios — which made this year's Dead Island 2. However, in May 2021, Deep Silver announced it was reviving the Free Radical name and creating a new studio specifically to make more TimeSplitters, with original Free Radical co-founders Steve Ellis and David Doak at the helm.
Unfortunately, VGC now reports this new Free Radical is the latest studio to be impacted by parent company Embracer Group's major restructuring programme, which was announced following the collapse of a massive $2bn deal in May and has resulted in extensive layoffs and closures throughout 2023.
Citing «people close to Free Radical», VGC reports the Nottingham-based studio has been evaluated as part of Embracer's restructuring process and that employees have now been notified Free Radical could close. As per UK employment law, employees will enter into a 30-day consultation process before redundancies can be made, but VGC notes at least 15 team members — including a lead game designer, senior artist, and technical artist — have already openly discussed searching for new job opportunities on social media.
VGC notes it's still possible Free Radical could remain open if Embracer receives an acquisition offer for the studio, but it's unclear how likely an occurrence that will be.
Today's report, so far unconfirmed by Free Radical or Deep Silver owner Plaion, follows layoffs at Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, Pinball FX developer Zen Studios, Mythforce developer Beamdog, and others as part of Embracer's ongoing restructuring programme. Embracer has also shut down Studio Onoma (formerly Square Enix Montréal) and Saints Row developer Volition, and is reportedly looking to sell Borderlands studio Gearbox.
Earlier this week, Embracer Group's chief operating officer Egil Strunke announced he had left the company, calling this year «rough».
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