ZOMG 2008 keeps getting worse

[Darkslash]

Well I thought it was bad enough that EA got Layoffs. Then Sony got 8000 on the boot. Then a rumor of P.C porter Aspyr(ported games like CoD 4 and GHIII) getting layoffs, do you think it will stop there? No. I thought it would never happen but it did

FREE RADICAL SHUTTING DOWN

UK developer Free Radical Design, the team behind Haze and the Time Splitters franchise, have closed their doors, apparently permanently, according to a number of inside sources.

The sources confirmed to Kotaku earlier reports that employees were locked out of their offices today in Nottingham. A meeting held later in the day ending with the closure of the independent developer, sources say.

While the shut down was a surprise to some within the company, it sounds like it wasn't to all. We've heard that some Free Radical Design employees were jumping ship in the week or two leading to today's news.

Free Radical's last game, Haze, was widely received as a mediocre game, but the company was working on a follow up for their popular TimeSplitters franchise and rumored to be working on a Star Wars: Battlefront game for LucasArts.

Sources say that the company recently lost the development deal for the LucasArts project, something that could have led to this end of year shut down.

This is sad. Thing is i was waiting for Timesplitters 4 and it was said that these guys where working on Star wars Battlefront III.

DISCUSS...while i sit in my emo cornor

 

[F8AL]

I loved the Time Splitters series and I was looking towards to TS 4 but it looks like now it will never be made. =(

It also sucks how alot of people hated their game "Haze".

 

[Crimson King]

Haze was okay. Nothing to write home about, and nothing to blast to pieces. Personally, I'd loved to have seen a sequel that could have done a better job, but I guess that's out of the question.

 

[notftomearth7]

WHAT? No more Timesplitters? That sucks, but one has to admit they haven't made much noise in the gaming industry since TS4.

 

[Gory snake]

This is the worst news I've heard all week, Timesplitters series is one of my favourite FPS series and I was dying for TS4, I really wanted a Timesplitters with online play (I know earlier versions had online play, but PS2 online doesnt count)

http://news.spong.com/article/16788/Free_Radical_Were_Not_Closed?cb=663

?????

 

[DMan1000]

that sucks i liked the battlefront series

 

[Black Waltz]

WOW. This is unbelievable. RIP Timesplitters...

 

[Crimson King]

This is the worst news I've heard all week, Timesplitters series is one of my favourite FPS series and I was dying for TS4, I really wanted a Timesplitters with online play (I know earlier versions had online play, but PS2 online doesnt count)

http://news.spong.com/article/16788/Free_Radical_Were_Not_Closed?cb=663

?????

They didn't elaborate, which means they are not ready to address the rumors.

 

[K64]

*sniff* R.I.P. Free Radical. I'm going 2 make a map in TS2 2 pay tribute

 

[Darkslash]

that sucks i liked the battlefront series

That was Pandemic. Free radical was supposedly going to make BFIII. But now its never gonna happen..

Hopefully they'll do a clover and make a new studio.

 

[Spire]

Timesplitters 2 brought many great memories. Let's hope for a better future for the folks at Free Radical - perhaps they'll reform (like mentioned above) as a new company somewhere down the road so that Timesplitters may birth again.

As for Battlefront III, I'm sure it'll be done by someone, if it's not being worked on already. I've been highly anticipating it since BFII (which was a slight disappointment).

 

[tirkaro]

D:

Shame, TS2 was one of the few FPSes I actually enjoyed. RIP FR, you will be missed.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Ellis and Doak have started Pumpkin Beach, a new studio, so hopefully that's good news.

Free Radical has closed down, but Ubisoft is still happily making it's Imagine series...

Timesplitters was possibly my favourite game series on the PS2.

They should have updated the site more, because it took a year before any new info was announced, but they were working on Haze at the time.

Sad to see them go though.

 

[Crimson King]

Ouch... http://kotaku.com/5114113/ea-reducing-work-force-by-1000-closing-9-locations?skyline=true&s=i

 

[Gory snake]

Its depressing looking at what could have been: http://kotaku.com/5114211/timesplitters-4-concept-art-drips-from-corpse-of-free-radical

Goop Splitter would have been awesome.

 

[Spire]

Its depressing looking at what could have been: http://kotaku.com/5114211/timesplitters-4-concept-art-drips-from-corpse-of-free-radical

Goop Splitter would have been awesome.

I would hire Nick Carver in a heartbeat.

Come on, he did a Photoshop painting study of THIS!

Oreos to who can identify what that image is based off of.

 

[Hyper_Ridley]

What?! No more TS4? NOOOOOOO!

 

[Red Exodus]

Aw you gotta be kidding, I loved SW:BF and TF was a decent series. Life goes on I suppose.

 

[Darkslash]

Ohh looks like all going to be well
FR founder set up yet another studio with the domain name of Pumkin Beach. So him and 20 ex FR devs now have jobs again.

http://kotaku.com/5114861/free-radical-founder-sets-up-new-studio

w00t Time splitters 4 may become reality.

 

[Crimson King]

http://kotaku.com/5114990/rumor-factor-5-goes-ker+plop - Another one goes.

 

[Darkslash]

I just saw it and there goes my Kid Icarus... At least some one else is working on Rouge Squadron.

Is it just me or when you make a PS3 Exclusive your destined to go Kerplunk? Or maybe its because of Gamestop/EB games and its ****ty pricing. Though its sad that a Dev who made me buy the N64 is closing now.

 

[Crimson King]

Is it just me or when you make a PS3 Exclusive your destined to go Kerplunk? Or maybe its because of Gamestop/EB games and its ****ty pricing. Though its sad that a Dev who made me buy the N64 is closing now.

Yeah, Konami has BEEN tanking as of late. = |

No, when you make a bad game, you will fail.

 

[Darkslash]

Yeah, Konami has BEEN tanking as of late. = |

No, when you make a bad game, you will fail.

Yea but Konami got Sony support right? From what i read Sony didn't really give alot of funding to Free Radical and Factor 5. So they flopped, or at least that's the theory.