Embracer Group Quietly Shuts Down UK Game Studio Free Radical Design
In a surprising move, Embracer Group has reportedly shut down the UK game studio Free Radical Design, the team behind the popular TimeSplitters series of video games. The closure was not officially announced, but staff at the Nottingham-based developer have been sharing their thoughts, goodbyes, and happy memories on social media.
Many of the former employees have also taken to LinkedIn to share “looking for work” updates. It appears that the staff only found out about the closure today, 11th December 2023, through messages on social media from now-former colleagues.
The company’s official website has been closed, displaying the message “404 Company Not Found”. Senior Artist Mark Normington has also confirmed the closure on social media in response to a user.
Embracer Group, the parent company of Deep Silver, which owns Plaion, had reformed Free Radical in 2021 to bring back the TimeSplitters IP. However, reports from November indicated that the studio was “under threat” of closure. It was privately acknowledged a few weeks ago that the studio would be facing closure before Christmas.
The closure of Free Radical Design adds to the string of layoffs and complete shutdowns at Embracer-owned studios this year. Over 900 employees at the company have been affected, with studios such as Volition, Campfire Cabal, Beamdog, and Crystal Dynamics also experiencing layoffs or closures.
Game Informer and VGC have reached out to Embracer for comment, but as of now, there has been no official statement from the company regarding the closure of Free Radical Design.
Are you upset about the closure of Free Radical Design? Share your thoughts with us. [source gameinformer.com]