Following on from last night’s news that indie publisher Versus Evil had closed down with immediate effect, leading to job losses for staff, additional impact is being felt elsewhere. Jukai Studios, the development studio behind Stray Souls which was published by Versus Evil, has announced that it too will be closing its doors. Jukai Studios consisted of two developers who have decided to go their separate ways. The full statement can be read below.
TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design appears to shut down as Embracer fallout continues
11.12.2023 - 21:31 / theverge.com / Steve Ellis / David Doak
By Jon Porter, a reporter with five years of experience covering consumer tech releases, EU tech policy, online platforms, and mechanical keyboards.
Free Radical Design, the Nottingham, UK-based studio that had been working on a revival of the PS2-era TimeSplitters franchise, appears to have shut down. Its website has been replaced with the message “404 Company Not Found :-(” as of this writing. Several employees have posted about today being the company’s last day, and many more have set their LinkedIn profiles as “#OpenToWork.”
In its current form, Free Radical Design dates back to 2021 when it was announced that a new studio had been set up to “bring the TimeSplitters franchise back to life” under the ultimate umbrella of the rapidly expanding Embracer Group. Series creators Steve Ellis and David Doak were brought on board to help with the revival.
But fast-forward to May this year, Embracer Group announced it would be restructuring shortly after a $2 billion deal fell through. The loss of the deal, rumored to be from a Saudi investment group, has already resulted in the closure of Saints Row developer Volition and reported attempts to sell off Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment.
It was previously reported the studio might close today by VideoGamesChronicle. Embracer Group did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
This is the second time Free Radical has closed its doors. In its original form, the company was founded by several developers who’d worked for Rare on GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, and the studio would produce a trilogy of acclaimed PS2-era TimeSplitters games. But after the release of the studio’s poorly received PS3 exclusive Haze and the cancellation of its Star Wars: Battlefront project, Free Radical Design went bankrupt in 2008. It would go on to be sold to Crytek and rebranded as Crytek UK, which effectively shut up shop in 2014.
Reports that the revived Free Radical could be impacted by Embracer’s financial difficulties emerged in early November, when VGC reported that employees were notified that the studio could close.
/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily.
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
thesixthaxis.com
23.12.2023 / 09:59
Jukai Studio announces closure following Versus Evil shut down
Following on from last night’s news that indie publisher Versus Evil had closed down with immediate effect, leading to job losses for staff, additional impact is being felt elsewhere. Jukai Studios, the development studio behind Stray Souls which was published by Versus Evil, has announced that it too will be closing its doors. Jukai Studios consisted of two developers who have decided to go their separate ways. The full statement can be read below.
gematsu.com
22.12.2023 / 02:18
Firewall studio First Contact Entertainment to shut down
Firewall and Solaris Offworld Combat series developer First Contact Entertainment will shut down after nearly eight years of operation, the studio announced.
destructoid.com
18.12.2023 / 16:37
TimeSplitters art work appears to be doing the rounds post-Free Radical closure
Last week, we witnessed another series of layoffs as Free Radical Design closed its doors. With that reported bombshell coming to fruition, we likely lost the potential for a new TimeSplitters game. However, images appearing to show what-could-have-been have been leaked.
techradar.com
18.12.2023 / 10:16
Artists from the recently shuttered Free Radical Design have revealed some concept art from an unannounced project
Former employees of the recently closed Free Radical Design, an Embracer Group-owned British video game developer that was responsible for the iconic TimeSplitters first-person shooter (FPS) series, have been sharing concept art for an unannounced project.
eurogamer.net
17.12.2023 / 17:21
Former Free Radical Designs devs share TimeSplitters concept art and more
Art work reportedly taken from Free Radical Design's unreleased TimeSplitters game has popped up online.
pcgamesinsider.biz
14.12.2023 / 14:33
Plaion confirms that Free Radical Design has closed
Publisher Plaion has confirmed that TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design has closed its doors.
videogameschronicle.com
12.12.2023 / 17:37
Embracer finally confirms closure of TimeSplitters studio Free Radical
Plaion, the Embracer-owned games publisher in charge of TimeSplitters developer Free Radical, has confirmed the studio has been closed.
thesixthaxis.com
12.12.2023 / 16:53
Free Radical Design has been shut down
Back in 2021, Free Radical Design was brought back from the dead to work on a new Timesplitters game. Today, the industry has been hit with more layoffs as news trickles out that Free Radical Design has been shut down by parent company Embracer. This follows a string of studio shut downs by Embracer following a $2bn deal falling through. That includes the closure of Saints Row developer Volition.
gameinformer.com
12.12.2023 / 15:51
Embracer Reportedly Might Close Free Radical Design, Its Reformed TimeSplitters Team
Update, 12/12/23:
gamingbolt.com
12.12.2023 / 08:27
Free Radical Design Has Been Officially Shut Down by Embracer Group
Embracer Group’s brutal company-wide cutbacks are continuing, and Free Radical Design is the latest studio to suffer the chopping block. Reports indicated last month that Embracer was considering shuttering the TimeSplitters studio just two years after its re-establishment, while later in November, it emerged that Free Radical was facing closure before Christmas.
thesixthaxis.com
12.12.2023 / 00:59
Free Radical Design has been shut down
Back in 2021, Free Radical Design was brought back from the dead to work on a new Timesplitters game. Today, the industry has been hit with more layoffs as news trickles out that Free Radical Design has been shut down by parent company Embracer. This follows a string of studio shut downs by Embracer following a $2bn deal falling through. That includes the closure of Saints Row developer Volition.