Embracer may close Timesplitters studio Free Radical Design – report

A report suggests that Free Radical Design’s parent company, Embracer Group, may shut down the studio as part of the company’s restructuring process.

This is according to a report from VGC, citing folks close to the Nottingham-based studio.

However, due to UK employment law, employees must be consulted for a minimum of 30 days before the company can make redundancies, and this includes looking into ways to avoid letting folks go in the first place.

The report states there is a chance the studio could remain open if a third party is interested in acquiring it.

It is also said that at least 15 staffers are looking for work, including those in leading or senior roles.

Free Radical Design was founded by David Doak, Steve Ellis, Karl Hilton, and Graeme Norgate in 1999. Down the road, hard times fell on the company, and it went into financial administration in 2008. In early 2009 it was acquired by Crytek, but in 2014, the closed and most staff were transferred to Dambuster Studios. In May 2021, the original founders reformed the studio, which operates under Deep Silver – owned by Embracer.

Embracer started closing studios and canceling projects earlier this year after a $2 billion investment deal with Saudi Arabia firm Savvy Games Group fell through. This has seen studios such as Volition shuttered and Gearbox Software reportedly put up for sale.