In yet another blow to the gaming industry, VGC has reported that Embracer Group may soon be closing the Nottingham-based UK studio Free Radical Design.
The team was reformed back in 2021 to revive the classic FPS franchise Timesplitters, but it looks like that may now be under threat as a result of Embracer Group’s ongoing restructuring programme.
According to people close to the studio, Free Radical Design has been subject to evaluation and the employees have now apparently been informed of the potential closure. While it’s not definite at the time of writing, VGC states that several notable employees have published posts on LinkedIn to state they’re looking for work, and we have been able to independently verify this.
Several studios have already been impacted by Embracer’s restructuring, including the likes of Crystal Dynamics and Beamdog. Embracer had previously acquired an absurd number of studios and properties but has since fallen on hard times, particularly after its shares plunged following a failed deal worth $2 billion.
While the original Timesplitters is still to this day a PS2 exclusive, GameCube owners were able to enjoy TimeSplitters 2 and Timesplitters: Future Perfect in 2002 and 2005 respectively, with both receiving critical acclaim.
Should Free Radical Design close, it’s currently unknown what might happen to the Timesplitters IP.
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