In December, the Embracer Group shut down the reformed UK developer studio Free Radical Design as part of the video game publisher's overall restructuring. Before its closing, the studio was working on a new version of the popular console first-person shooter Timesplitters. Now a former team member has posted over 5 minutes of footage from the canceled game online.
Rob Steptoe, who was the head of art at Free Radical Design, posted the previously unseen footage from the Timesplitters revival on his LinkedIn page today. Steptoe clearly was not happy that the studio was closed and the game was canceled, stating, 'Embracer Group can go hide in a cave somewhere..." That LinkedIn footage has quickly made its way to YouTube via the ChiefManyHorses27 channel.
The video states that this footage was captured back in July 2023, several months before Embracer closed Free Radical Design. The video shows that this new game would have kept the somewhat cartoony art style of the original Timesplitters games but with more modern graphics.
It also shows that the revival would have included locations from previous games in the series, including the Siberian dam level. However, the footage also showed an online store where players could purchase a Season Pass and in-game items.
Indeed there seem to be elements of Epic Games' Fortnite in the canceled Timesplitters game, including a mention of some kind of "open world" and modes that would have supported up to 100 players. However, the footage also showed the team trying to replicate the gameplay and goofy style of the previous games in the FPS series. It's a shame we won't be able to play this new Timesplitters game.
Embracer has already laid off 1,400 total employees at a number of its game studios. Unconfirmed reports claim that the company will spin off Saber Interactive and sell off Gearbox Entertainment in the near future.
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