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In November, Embracer Group revealed that one of its game studios, the UK-based Free Radical Design, was in danger of closing its doors due to the company’s ongoing restructuring. Today, that fear became official as the studio’s team members are now reporting Free Radical Design is indeed shutting down.
Eurogamer reports that the studio’s employees are posting messages on social media outlets reporting on its closing. Even Free Radical’s website has mostly shut down with just a “404 Company Not Found :-(” message. There had been some hope in the last month that another company could acquire Free Radical to keep the studio going, but that hope has now been dashed.
The last day at FRD was very different from what I imagined. I don't think it sunk in properly just yet, but handed my keys in and left the building the last time. It's Time to Split pic.twitter.com/n1UGELsoED
— Adam Kiraly (@94Kiraly) December 11, 2023
This is not the original version of Free Radical, which was first formed in 1999 and went onto release the popular TimeSpitters console first-person games, among others. Later, that studio was sold to Crytek before it finally closed in 2014.
This new version of Free Radical was formed just a couple of years ago, in 2021, and was led by original Timesplitters team members Steve Ellis and David Doak. They were in charge of creating a new version of that console FPS series for Embracer. Today’s shutdown means that new Timesplitters game is likely on indefinite hold.
This is just the latest developer closing by Embracer, which announced earlier this year it would be laying off workers, shutting down studios, and canceling game projects. Since then, the company has closed a number of studios, including Saints Row developer Volition, along with deep layoffs at studios like Crystal Dynamics, Beamdog, and others.
