This year is turning out to be one of the best for gamers but the worst for game developers as more and more continue to lose their jobs. The latest closure comes from Embracer-owned Free Radical, and anyone who has played TimeSplitters will find that name familiar. Free Radical was brought back to revive the TimeSplitters series, and it seems that wasn’t in the cards, as the classic FPS won’t be returning now.
Embracer owns a lot of developers under its belt and is undergoing a “restructuring program”. This massive internal shake-up includes canned projects, studios shutting down, and others being sold out. Some of the victims of the restructuring are Volition Studios, known for Saints Row, which has been closed, while developer GearBox, known for Borderlands, is up for sale.
And Free Radical Design is the latest one moving toward the chopping block as some employees have already been notified of the potential upcoming closure. There is still a possibility that if Embracer encounters enough pushback from the industry, and perhaps third-party interest, Free Radical might be sold instead of shutting down.
TimeSplitter Developers Free Radical Closure
According to the LinkedIn profiles of those who worked at the studio, most are already looking for work. The closure seems imminent, and although there has been no official word so far, Embracer’s earnings release is coming next week, which is likely when the announcement will be made.
If the studio does indeed shut down, any hope for the revival of the TimeSplitters series dies with it. The studio has also made other recognizable titles like Second Sight. Free Radical went bankrupt in 2008, and was brought back specifically for the revival of the TimeSplitters games.
2023 is shaping up to be the hardest year for video game developers. Other companies where mass layoffs have hit and cutbacks include Xbox Studios, Epic Games, Sony, Blizzard, BioWare, and many more. Hopefully, this trend will die down as the year progresses.
