Embracer CEO confirms TimeSplitters studio faces closure before Christmas

TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design faces closure before Christmas, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors has privately acknowledged.

[Obscure_Observer]

I hope those (selectively) against acquisition of studios are now satisfied.

[Nitrowolf2]

What does this even mean lol, this very studio was formed out of a acquisition (purchase of the IP)

How does that in any way serve towards your comment

Not to mention the layoffs from Embracer

[Obscure_Observer]

"How does that in any way serve towards your comment"

Had Xbox acquired that studio from Embracer before gone, you know N4G would gone riot.

[Nitrowolf2]

????
So you're making up scenarios for a studio that was created for the sole purpose of this IP, for console warring?? Where has Xbox ever said they were interested in buying them, and vice versa?

Where's this assumption that they would want to even save them? If that was the case, we would never have any studio closure.

[Crows90]

@obscure

Wow...cant even begin to imagine the lengths you take to be so inaccurate.

This studio has barely released anything in the last decade. You think people would've rioted? The contrary. It wouldve been an investment into elevating the studio to be able to bring back timesplitters. I wouldve been grateful.

[shinoff2183]

He's basically saying ms acquisition is good embracer bad

[mastershredder]

^ Obscure observer is denser than lead.
Obscure’s mouth flaps, and a whole lot of stupid comes out every freak’n time.

[northpaws]

@Nitrowolf2

Don't even try, Obscure_Observer has the special power to make every single news into a "XBox good, PS bad" story, powered by infinite amount of delusion, you can't win.

[ocelot07]

He just liked to ramble and spout nonsense. Just politily nod and back away slowly.

[Crows90]

Tell me how ignorant you are without telling me how ignorant you are.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

Dude Obscure_Observer is a complete idiot. He always and I mean ALWAYS make comments and responses that make no absolutely NO sense. Trying to get that moron to learn anything is like trying to teach calculus to a drywall.

[-Foxtrot]

Jesus

People lose their jobs before Christmas

Obscure_Observer: "BETTER USE THIS TO CALL OUT THOSE PESKY MS HATERS AND BIG MS UP"

I hope those (selectively) who wonder why you get disagreed to oblivion are now satisfied.

[Flawlessmic]

🤡🤡

[Profchaos]

Xbox dont want studios they want publishers and all the studios that come with it and this isn't even about them not everything is a Xbox slander piece

[ziggyzinfirion]

Obscure_Observer

No offense but I think you seriously need to see a doctor.

[shadowknight203]

I'm pretty sure Obscure_Observer gets a kick after each comment he reads that bashes him (Some people are like that). He would stop eventually if people simply stopped replying to him altogether lol. But then, maybe everyone who fuels his behavior also gets a kick out of it too

[Mr_cheese]

The ultimate satirical troll of N4G strikes again.

But... but... but.... if xbox.

Behave yourself.

[1Victor]

@obscured:”I hope those (selectively) against acquisition of studios are now satisfied.”

Translation by google translate from Xbox fanboy to reality

“I hope those (selectively) in favor acquisition of studios are now satisfied.”
Well when you eat more than you can chew ether you choke to death or poke out, unfortunately when corporations play monopoly thousands of employees families suffer. 😩

[Obscure_Observer]

1Victor

"Well when you eat more than you can chew ether you choke to death or poke out, unfortunately when corporations play monopoly thousands of employees families suffer. 😩"

Check your facts and tell that to Sony which fired hundreds of people while shutting down studios and canceling games in the last few years.

[shinoff2183]

Sony didn't lay off 10k people. Ms did though. Wtf is wrong with you.

[Obscure_Observer]

@shinoff2183

1Victor was talking about "eating more than you can chew" and all Sony has been doing lately is layoff hundreds of people at *Playstation* including Bungie which under Playstation is 8% smaller after just one year despite the fact that Sony paid 1.2 Billion dollar for talent retention.

The layoffs at MS you mentioned only hit a small fraction at 343i at the time. No other Xbox first studio was affected!

SIE is getting people fired left and right, not to mention cancelling games and shutting down first party studios.

Talk about "eat more than you can chew".

[Barlos]

I just can't take you seriously.

You're either a troll or you have some serious mental health problems.

[Obscure_Observer]

I don´t give a flying f* about what you think about me dude.

Read my name, scroll down and spare both of our time replying to my comments. It´s simple as that.

[thorstein]

In the old days on N4G, trolls like obscure would only be allowed one comment per article.

I miss bubbles... and Cat (Legendary Queen of the Mods)

[Barlos]

@Obscure

Yeah you've just shown me you need help. Or a lie down. Maybe go out and get some fresh air. You have a lot of pent up angst you need to offload.

[OtterX]

The embrace of Embracer feels more like a death squeeze. ☠ Hopefully the Time Splitter property doesn't get abandoned completely, and I would hope at least some of the key creative minds behind the originals are sought within a new studio taking the helm.

[darthv72]

you hate to see it... if only there was someone capable of bailing them out and providing them with the capital to make new games in the franchise.

[Abnor_Mal]

I’m sure there’s many a “person” who could be capable of bailing them out and providing them with the capital to make new games in the franchise, if they wanted but doesn’t seem like anyone wants to do it as of yet.

[UltimateOwnage]

Microsoft hasn’t saved anyone, or any IP by throwing their money around. I can’t think of any franchise or company that is better post-MS. I’d rather the company died a natural death for lack of good new content than be put into zombie mode to pump out MS flavored versions of their once beloved IP.

[ZwVw]

"Microsoft hasn’t saved anyone, or any IP by throwing their money around. I can’t think of any franchise or company that is better post-MS."

Either you're uneducated or being willingly ignorant in this regard.
Bungie became a household name in the gaming industry after MS acquired them and changed Halo from a third person RTS to a FPS.
Obsidian were enduring massive financial woes and were on the brink of bankruptcy until MS swooped in to save the day.
Double Fine were able keep originally cut content (due to insufficient funding) into Psychonauts 2, after MS purchased them and allowed them to delay the game and reinstate said content.
Ninja Theory went from developing Hellblade with a team of 20 (having to borrow leased equipment just to complete the game in the process) to over 100 with Hellblade 2 (with complete access to MS' R&D and technologies).

You don't have to like MS but lets not start making revisionist history by acting like no studios have ever benefited after being purchased by them.

[darthv72]

I never said MS, nor did i even say any company. I just said someone. You used your own bias to fill in the gap to come to the conclusion you did. Congratulations... and thank you for playing.

[Mr_cheese]

Zwvw

You've named a lot of studios there that haven't been "saved". They've been invested in, with the best return (Halo) eventually being dragged through the mud and Bungie being bought by Sony.

At best what you are saying is that Microsoft has allowed these studies to develop an improved version of their games and even that is up to debate.

This isn't a dig at Microsoft, this is an alternate view of what you're selling.

[shinoff2183]

It wasn't their franchise was it?

[recoctimocassirnff]

I guess you haven't been paying attention the last few years.

MS doesn't bail out developers to invest in them and create new content. They buy up "successful", already existing 3rd party franchises to block them coming to competing consoles.

Sony, on the other hand, if they saved Radical, would be within their MO.

[darthv72]

You used your own bias to fill in the gap to come to the conclusion you did. I never mentioned MS, nor any other company. Congratulations... and thank you for playing.

[recoctimocassirnff]

"I never mentioned MS, nor any other company"

Really, Darth? Really?....

You were obviously being facetious. Reading between the lines you said "if only there was some super amazing company that is the bestest evaa!! that has being throwing money around, buying up all heaps studios that could also buy this studio. But I just don't know who. It's on the tip of my tounge, but I just can't think of the companies name. Gosh!"

You absolutely did mention MS, so stop playing stupid. And it's not bias, it's just the facts.

[RhinoGamer88]

If the studios were bought, the studio leaders got paid right? Millions...
Let them help out their teams now...

[Relientk77]

Very sad news :-( I was really looking forward to the return of TimeSplitters. I had a blast with those games

[Hofstaderman]

I remember back in november 2000 my dad gifting me Timesplitters after just completing my grade 11 exams. This and the multitap and my friends was one of the best year end breaks I ever had.

[Mr_cheese]

The virus mode was wicked back in the day!

[Snookies12]

Absolutely awful to hear. TimeSplitters remains one of my favorite shooters of all-time. Especially 3... I spent countless hours in multiplayer on that (and the level editor!)

[TheColbertinator]

The studio I respected is long gone

[Knightofelemia]

Yup when you're a moron throwing money around with out a plan. Everybody around you pays the price for your stupidity.

[mastershredder]

Denying us Timesplitters is a straight up crime. Free radical went through a lot to try to make the 4th installment happen.

Embracer is not the only one crumbling. Stand by for more.

[jznrpg]

TimeSplitters and VR just seems too perfect. Hopefully something works out for this studio.

[ROCKY28]

Embracer sucks Ass !
Everything they have done has been wrong - greed and stupidity is know hurting workers because they are ASS !

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Embracer reminds me of getting Christmas money as a kid, thinking I'm rich. And it's gone by new years.

[ooquis]

Can all the PlayStation Bethesda gamers you got shown the middle finger raise their lighters and say: Karma Beatch!!!

[Cuzizkool]

And the game of “hot potato” with the Timesplitters IP continues. 😭

[Hedstrom]

The Embracer management! Borrow money so you can buy studios, then close them. No fucking wonder the stock has plummet from 135 SEK to 20 SEK. Retards!

[franwex]

But is the original team still there? Or is it just the name?