Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors has reportedly confirmed to staff that TimeSplitters studio Free Radical is facing closure subsequent month, as a part of a sweeping restructuring programme that has already resulted in greater than 900 job cuts on the firm.
Word that Free Radical – a studio resurrected in 2021 particularly to revive the beloved TimeSplitters franchise – was the most recent developer to be impacted by dad or mum firm Embracer’s restructuring first surfaced earlier this month in a report by VGC.
The publication’s sources have now shared a company wide email from Wingefors confirming that Free Radical is presently engaged in a session course of – as per UK employment legislation, staff should enter right into a 30-day session course of earlier than redundancies will be made – that might outcome in the studio’s closure subsequent month.
“As we move through the consultation process and face the potential closure of Free Radical Design on 11 December 2023,” Wingefors reportedly wrote in his electronic mail to staff, “I want to express my gratitude for your commitment and the remarkable work you’ve done and still keep doing… This is a challenging time for all of us but especially for you, and our focus is to support you as much as we can during this transition.”
While the likelihood stays that the studio might be saved if Embracer receives an acquisition provide, it is unclear how doubtless an incidence that shall be.
Embracer Group started its devastating restructuring programme in May, following the collapse of an enormous $2bn deal. So far, the cuts have resulted in layoffs on the likes of Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, Pinball FX developer Zen Studios, Mythforce developer Beamdog. Embracer has additionally shut down Studio Onoma (previously Square Enix Montréal) and Saints Row developer Volition, and is reportedly seeking to promote Borderlands studio Gearbox.
Embracer confirmed yet one more spherical of layoffs earlier right now after sources at Galaxy on Fire and Chorus developer Fishlabs knowledgeable Eurogamer that 50 positions out of 95 on the studio had been lower by Embracer administration.