To the frustration of many, together with us, it was confirmed earlier this yr that Free Radical Design, the developer behind the extremely anticipated revival of TimeSplitters, could be closed down by Embracer Group and the sport in the end cancelled.
It was a dire finish to what many had hoped could be a grand return to the shooter franchise that took the world by storm within the early ’00s. For Steve Ellis, co-founder of Free Radical Design, the sport’s cancellation and studio closure was seemingly sufficient to discourage him from ever being concerned in TimeSplitters ever once more.
In talking with GamesIndustry,biz, Ellis notes that the entire expertise was “an enormous letdown” and is sort of satisfied that he’s accomplished with TimeSplitters for good:
“It is most likely the tip of me being concerned with TimeSplitters. I do not know if Plaion or Embracer will do something with it. I do not know what it will take to get me to need to undergo all that once more. It was an enormous letdown.”
Ellis additionally famous how impactful the studio closure was on youthful builders, lots of which had labored extensively on the brand new TimeSplitters for years earlier than being laid off:
“They did not get an opportunity to see by means of their first sport. So shifting onto different jobs, it’s virtually like ranging from scratch. A few of them have been perhaps three years in. They’ve progressed a lot, they usually most likely will not be going into junior roles, however additionally they do not have one thing they will level at and say ‘right here is the sport I shipped’.”
Footage of the sport had been leaked earlier this yr, with many noting the obvious similarities to Epic Video games’ Fortnite after Free Radical Design had pivoted from the first-person perspective that made the unique TimeSplitters video games so well-known. Ellis says that many had jumped to the flawed conclusions, nevertheless, stating “Clearly it will be pointless to simply clone Fortnite, in order that’s not what we have been doing”.