Embracer’s TimeSplitters studio Free Radical faces closure
TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design is at threat of being closed by owner Embracer Group, just two years after it was re-established, sources have told VGC.
For the past six months Embracer has been carrying out a “restructuring program” which has already seen some game studios closed and some projects cancelled.
This includes the closure of studios like Saints Row developer Volition and Campfire Cabal, while others have reportedly been put up for sale, such as Borderlands maker Gearbox.
According to people close to Free Radical Design, the Nottingham, UK-based studio has been part of the evaluation and employees have now been notified that it could close.
As required by UK employment law, Plaion – the Embracer division which runs Free Radical – must consult employees for a minimum of 30 days before making any redundancies, including exploring ways of avoiding them.
There remains a possibility that the studio could remain open then, should Embracer receive interest from third parties interested in acquiring it.
However, VGC analysis of LinkedIn and social media shows that, within just the last 24 hours, at least 15 people employed at Free Radical have already published posts saying they’re looking for work.
That includes a lead game designer, senior artist, senior technical artist, game designer and the studio’s IT manager.
Neither Free Radical, Plaion nor Embracer responded to requests for comment in time to be included in this story. Embracer’s next earnings release is due next week.
It’s not yet clear what the closure would mean for the future of TimeSplitters, the classic first-person shooter series the new Free Radical was re-established to revive.
The first iteration of Free Radical Design was formed in 1999 and
Read more on videogameschronicle.com
