Crytek Purchases Free Radical, Says Haze Scriptwriter

1UP writes: "Free Radical's Rob Yescombe just confirmed to 1UP that the recently troubled developer has been bought for an undisclosed sum by Germany-based Crytek (best known for the games Far Cry and Crysis). This ends weeks of uncertainty about the future of the company, which many had guessed might be forced to shut its doors".

[PirateThom]

That was kind of unexpected.

[skynidas]

Agreed

[GWAVE]

Timesplitters 4 has hope, then. Did they absorb the employees, too?

[badz149]

but in a good direction...I suppose! I hope they'll come with a great game for us after this take over!

[Ghoul]

THAT IS INSANE

the only problem of free radical was the tec the games they made were awesome.

Now rytec backing them up with tech and the cryengine BAMMMM expect a akickass timesplitters in Crysis Quaility

AWESOME

[Coheno]

But really really good news!

@GWAVE
Apparently they did, but there is no news of the people that were laid off...

[Max Power]

but it is also good to hear that they get another shot to prove themselves, i am sure they will stick with their bread and butter.

[HolyOrangeCows]

Hopefully Time splitters 4 will work on something other than a $1000 computer. LOL

[andron]

Lets hope they can make TS4 now....

[ThanatosDMC]

I bought Haze. It was an okay game, i could see where they were trying to take the game and how far they missed from their mark. Graphically speaking it was on par with PS2's Turok game... which was lame in today's next gen consoles.

Explosions sucked, particle effects, level of detail (LOD) pop ups, etc.

Anyway, it was a good game for co-op's sake. At least they fixed the co-op bug in the update.

I hope they, with Crytek, make an awesome game! Maybe Crytek found their PS3 developers from Free Radical...

---

If they re-release Haze with updated graphics and all... they better change the vehicle levels and the vehicles themselves. If anyone played the game and saw what they had called a "tank" they would die with laughter! ........................ it was like a buggy with a cannon on top and you can completely destroy the tank with your normal guns.

[Rock Bottom]

Now where's my Cry-Engine 2 Time Splitters 4?

[TheHater]

Timesplitter with the Crysis engine anyone?

[Marceles]

Or HAZE with an extreme makeover

[DeforMAKulizer]

Just what i was thinking of right now...
If true... THEN MEGA OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TIKUP]

exactly what i was think my friend

[Pennywise]

If the extreme make over includes graphics and a whole rewrite of the corny dialog... good idea. I beat Haze and all I can say is.... doont... tell.. my mother.... argrghhghhhhhhhhhgurglegurgle

[Ju]

I wasn't sure to bring up Haze in that context. But maybe this leads to Haze what it should have been in the first place. I still think a 4 player co-op like in Haze with Crysis tech would be awesome.

[Gerry Mark II]

Here Xbots now you can have Haze too!

[Foxgod]

We dont want it.

[Gerry Mark II]

fuk you, your going to get it wherether you like it or not.

We didnt want it either.

(you would have to be a dumbarse not to see i'm joking)

[Foxgod]

well, i am not joking :P
we really dont want it :D

[Obama]

then u will have no games in 09, too bad :(

[Gerry Mark II]

Well played Obama, well played.

+1 Bubbles.

[Foxgod]

o yeah, so well played, especially since it is so untrue.
Are you feeling proud of yourself to pull bs statements out of your ass ?

They are right about you obama, you do sound like bush.

[GiantEnemyLobster]

Now just let Crytek finish up what Free Radical started on Battlefront 3 since they now have Free Radical employees there. I don't want some crap company making Battlefront III

[Helghast Slayer]

Wow imagine Haze on the CryEngine2, now that would be kicka$$.

[lord_of_balrogs]

Time Splitters on the 360 now.

[Harry190]

it's owned by EA(by extension) now?

[Gerry Mark II]

No Crytek isnt a subsidury of EA, they are their own company. Crytek just uses EA for publishing, they also use Ubisoft.

[PS-Wii-60]

So many worthwhile franchises potentially saved.
I only hope they don't forget about Haze. IMO it's a fun, innovative FPS and doesn't get the respect it deserves. I still play it to this day, the co-op is a blast.

[TheIneffableBob]

Gerry Mark II, Crytek and Ubisoft broke their relationship with one another. Crytek didn't like how Ubisoft handled things.

[Ghoul]

nope garry

Crytec broke up and canceld all deals with ubsioft and therefor lost the name "farcry" hence farcry 2 from ubsioft. They Are indead bought by EA but as an independent Dev exclusivly publishing and partying with EA

[Sangria]

Please, do anything to develop another good TimeSplitters and you'll be my masters.
But there was also a rumor of a new studio of FR's staff called Pumpkins Beach, how about it?

[Marcan21]

would that mean experienced PS3 coders to raffine a Crysis game (I suppose there is one already in progress) exclusive to the PS3 like Haze. after that we could expect some Timesplitter and/or other Crysis game.

[Ju]

I do not care if it would be exclusive, but FreeRadical would certainly add some console experience while hopefully Crytek adds there technology skills. Could be a win-win. But, I hope if they go PS3, they are not shy implementing something like a deferred renderer. I am so waiting for this outside of Sony exclusive studios.

[jayblings]

TS4 Please

[ActionBastard]

Completely unexpected. Please don't screw up TimeSplitters.

[DeckUKold]

That was a great move 2 quality developers in one company, now we got Time Crysis lol.

[badz149]

that name has been taken! -> time crisis! maybe they can try crysis splitters!

[L-a-i-n]

Good lord I can not wait for TimeSplitters with that engine! Good job saving a dev in destress Crytek. FreeRadical just had a bad run they can do so much better.

[Jackel2072]

well it would seem this story has a happy ending! im looking forward to what they cook up next!

[Cajun Chicken]

That's a great aquisition. I never saw that coming, brilliant news. I hope people get their jobs back.

Nice one CryTek!

[DeZimatoR]

Just imagine the possibilties... :P

[jay2]

:) Sweet good news. I hope everyone's re-employed, I don't want a bunch of yanks shiped over to a UK games studio with only 40 people being there right now.

[TheIneffableBob]

TimeSplitters 4 on the PC. :D

[Parapraxis]

It's nice to know that there will still be in a manner of speaking, "Free Radical" games.

[nostalgic_noob]

now we get the funny story of timespltters and the graphics of crysis.

[DarkBlade]

Does this means that haze 2 will be awesome this time? With awesome graphics?

[San Frandisco]

im super suprised to be honest yet out of words cuz i cant believe how MORE badass their games together are gunna be now.... HOLY SH!T im still in sort of a shock lol.

just imagine these if you will:

HAZE w/Crysis engine and Revamped story and gameplay machanics-

TIMESPLITTERS 4 with crysis engine-

if you look back at the minds behind each of their games you can tell they are both into Mulitplayer aspects more then anything.

FREE RADICAL=humorus and great story telling with awesome mulitplayer features and memorable characters.

CRYTECH=AMAZING fvcking visuals ALSO with mind set on multiplayer features.

combine the 2 and i can only hope for something of that calibur to hit the ps3 exclusively. :)

[BattleAxe]

I totally agree that HAZE had alot of potential, and if Crytek can remake the game with the same engine as Crysis, then I belive it would be a hit.

[evrfighter]

the Haze name isn't worth keeping around as it's considered garbage by many. I'd expect a new IP

[poeo]

good news, i hope Crytek treats them well.

[FantasyStar]

THAT was unexpected. Now FRD is part of the EA-Umbrella now. Crytek knows their stuff, FRD is in good hands.

[Jdash24]

I hope they finish and release Star Wars Battlefront 3

[Sanhlami]

wow wtf. I never would have came up with this combination in a million years.

The first thing I thought was, WOW what a suprise, this is going to be a good combination. We'll finally get more creative titles besides just Crysis and Far Cry 2. Any game with Crytek engine is deemed one of the best looking games. Bring on the good stuff.

[fanboi hater]

Battlefront 3 Battlefront 3 Battlefront 3 please please please... bf3 plus upgrades from crytek = omfg

[T-Baggins]

Great news, Crytek must be huge Time Splitters fans, I really hope they make 4 now that they have a great engine to use.

[Raider69]

great news!i just hope that crytek have learn a lesson regarding the almost close up of theres new studio free-radical!thats the support you get for making games exclusive to a platform,and on this case like HAZE,teaming up with sony for about 6 year and having no support wend thing's turn bad! hope they revamp haze and release it to the PC and 360!release games on all platforms and you probably going to have success!hopeful SWBF 3 is not dead!