Free Radical’s TimeSplitters project was rebooted this year before studio closure

This month, it was confirmed that Embracer Group made the decision to close down Free Radical Design less than three years after reviving the studio to work on a new TimeSplitters game. Now, one of the studio's former developers has shed some light on what the team was working on before the plug was pulled.

Speaking with fansite Free Radical Archive, the ex-employee disclosed that the initial directive for the studio was to reimagine TimeSplitters as a Battle Royale game. This vision persisted for a substantial period until a significant reboot of the project took place earlier this year.

It is claimed that initially, this new TimeSplitters game was effectively a Fortnite clone. However, the team decided to reboot the project earlier this year. The new pitch would have seen Free Radical creating a reimagined version of TimeSplitters 2 with some plot changes thrown in, as well as some brand new levels to expand the game.

While the team pitched this revised direction to the project's publishers, the possibility of further changes in direction lingered. The fate of the project remained uncertain as Free Radical Design closed its doors last week. Embracer Group retains ownership of the TimeSplitters IP, but no announcements have been made about its future at this time. Chances are, it'll be put on ice for a while now.

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KitGuru Says: I'm not sure any TimeSplitters fans were hoping for a Battle Royale reboot so I feel like Free Radical was on the right track with its change in direction, assuming the information given here is legitimate. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll be getting a return to this cult classic shooter anytime soon after Free Radical's sudden closure.

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