After being threatened with closure by parent company Embracer Group, it appears that TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design has been officially closed
The closure comes just two years after the studio was reformed by Embracer.
A visit to the studio’s website now shows a simple message, “404 Company Not Found :-(“
The risk of being closed was first reported by VGC back in November. Now, just over a month since the news broke, now former, employees are posting on LinkedIn confirming the company’s end.
“Free Radical Design was a hub of creativity, but sadly, we join an ever-growing list of casualties in a broken industry where entire studios are treated as replaceable cogs in a soulless machine fixated on nothing but share prices,” former Quality Assurance Manager Kevin Ellis posted. “To all who lent their skills, dedication and creativity, you are the heartbeat of Free Radical Design.”
RELATED: Geoff Keighley Shows Cowardice At The Game Awards
According to those posting on LinkedIn, 80 people are now out of work with the studio closing.
“Well, that’s it, officially the final day of our time at Free Radical Design and an entire studio (just over 80 people) is out of work,” the studio’s former IT manager said. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with everyone here. There are some supremely talented people that are now in need of work.”Â
Free Radical Design was closed without seeing any game shipped since reforming. The company was working on a new TimeSplitters title.
What do you think of Embracer Group closing yet another game developer? For more Insider Gaming, read about why The Day Before is exactly what we thought it would be.