Free Radical closes shop [update]
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Dec 18th 2008 at 9:15AM }
Free Radical's last project was the critical and commercial failure, Haze. TimeSplitters 4 and an unannounced project (believed to be Star Wars: Battlefront III) were currently in development at the studio. We'll update as soon as the studio makes a statement.
Update: Confirmed. [Via videogaming247]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Obie @ Dec 18th 2008 9:19AM
Damn, so what happens to TimeSplitters 4? Will the assets move to another studio? Or is it deep sixed for good? :(
The-E @ Dec 18th 2008 9:42AM
I'm not sure if I would rather the game to be gone or picked up by someone like Atari that will only tarnish its good name!! I know Haze wasn't great but I will gladly go buy it if it means they can develop a new Timesplitters!!
finaldarklord @ Dec 18th 2008 3:32PM
Fuck. FUCK!
Timesplitters has consistently delivered the goods, Free Radical took what good was left of Rare and made the best shooters I've played since Goldeneye.
I can't fucking believe this is it for them, it just seems so sudden...
One of my last bastions of truly great development, gone.
Christ, I hate this gen.
E.J. @ Dec 19th 2008 5:36AM
@finaldarklord
Don't blame this gen. Blame this global economy.
wolf4537 @ Dec 18th 2008 9:21AM
The day Free Radical dies is the say I stop playing video games. DO NOT LET TIMESPLITTERS DIE!!!! :(
wise_old_bird @ Dec 18th 2008 9:29AM
Wow, so you're giving up videogames starting today? Well at least you'll have a head start on that whole hunting and gathering thing before most people.
Duke @ Dec 18th 2008 10:09AM
You see how this is saying they shut down right, last meeting at a hotel and all...why would you read that and say that you would quit gaming if they shut down? There is nothing we all can do to stop it after the fact.
So, I guess you will be moving on from gaming then. GL with that.
Comet @ Dec 18th 2008 9:25AM
So no Haze 2?
Hashbrown Hunter @ Dec 18th 2008 4:00PM
Maybe Ubisoft owns the property, not Free Radical.
tmontana213 @ Dec 18th 2008 4:09PM
Why would you want a second Haze...
Marty @ Dec 18th 2008 5:46PM
Jokes.
copa @ Dec 18th 2008 9:31AM
Let's please have a moment of silence and remembrance.
Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the Joystiq Haze Memorial Flamefest:
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/megaowch-haze-handed-4-5-review-by-ign/
xFenixKnightx @ Dec 18th 2008 9:45AM
What a great day that was. :)
Duke @ Dec 18th 2008 10:10AM
*sniff*
WRE @ Dec 18th 2008 10:16AM
*looks around*
I love you guys.
Haggard @ Dec 18th 2008 11:49AM
I love reading that one every couple of months.
Funniest bit is the link to PS3 Fanboy's "we think Haze is graphically superior to Crysis" article.
Fernando Rocker @ Dec 18th 2008 2:19PM
Wow... I was kicking a lot of Sony asses that day...
=p
BadassSailor @ Dec 19th 2008 4:39AM
WOW so many aholes posting... and I wasn't one of them.
I must have either been sick that day, or figured my trolling wasn't needed to get the fantards worked up that day.
Lord Negatron @ Dec 18th 2008 9:32AM
Thats what happen when a company gets hooked on "Nectar"...
:P
samfish @ Dec 18th 2008 9:33AM
That's unfortunate if it's true.
...but also exactly what everyone said would happen if smaller studios were going to put all their eggs in he HD basket. Gotta love the risks you take when you make a videogame these days!
TwEE @ Dec 18th 2008 4:10PM
If loosing studios like Free Radical is the price to pay for HD, then its not worth it.
I've yet to be impressed by a game because its in HD.
Gaucho @ Dec 18th 2008 9:34AM
NOOO!!! MY HAZE SEQUAL!
343 Guilty Fart @ Dec 18th 2008 1:21PM
The Halo Killer one, right?
The-E @ Dec 18th 2008 9:40AM
This is a very sad day for gaming....They have delivered some of the best FPS games ever...The Timesplitters series is one of the best in existence with clever writing, excellent gameplay and a very addictive multiplayer....I for one am very sad to see them go!!!
R.I.P Free Radical and thanks for the many great years of high quality games....
Phillip @ Dec 18th 2008 9:42AM
TimeSplitters 2 is still awesome. I probably spent about 500 hours playing that thing for over two years with my three friends.....
Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Dec 18th 2008 9:43AM
I loved The Simpsons Hit N Run. That game was probably one of the best Simpsons games.
Optimaximal @ Dec 18th 2008 9:54AM
That was Radical Entertainment (some Canadian-based guys around for nearly 20 years now).
Free Radical grew out of Rare post-Goldeneye/Perfect Dark.
Haggard @ Dec 18th 2008 11:50AM
I loved Simpsons Hit n' Run too. Oh no.. urge to re-install it..
Matt @ Dec 18th 2008 9:43AM
Timesplitters FP was one of the best offline multiplayer fpses ever. This is a sad day, and I bet if they had just been given a little more time to get TS4 out they would have been ok. Such a shame they wasted so much time and money on Haze.
Stuart @ Dec 18th 2008 9:50AM
This is terrible but only because i am from Nottingham. Oh wait I know they say they are in Nottingham but they are in sandicare which is in Derby so actually don't care.
xFenixKnightx @ Dec 18th 2008 9:50AM
Look, they churned out a turd names HAZE, aka Most generic Halo clone EVER! It bombed, therefore....
On a sidenote you migt see me logged in on PSN playing HAZE (H4.5E) but it will be my kids playing it. :) Thats the only good thing about it being a Halo clone. My boys love it. They don't know its generic, the story line is garbage and they cant tell the graphics aren't up to snuff. They just know there is SPLITSCREEN!!! :D
The-E @ Dec 18th 2008 9:57AM
Fenix don't come here on this sad occasion and talk smack talk!! No one cares about the fact you(or anyone) didn't like Haze, we are here to say goodbye to the developers of Timesplitters, a fantastic game in its own right.
So for once in your life please keep the H4.5E comments to a minimum....Your self restraint will be greatly appreciated!!
el serpiente @ Dec 18th 2008 9:59AM
So what you are trying to say is that you really enjoy HAZE on a regular basis and you use your kids to conceal your shame about enjoying it?
DETH-DEFIANCE @ Dec 18th 2008 10:03AM
Well atleast they don't consider every first person shooter produced after Halo is a Halo clone...
xFenixKnightx @ Dec 18th 2008 10:08AM
Sorry, The-E. I never played any of their old stuff. SO I dont know if they were good.
El Serpiente
Guilty! lol!
Seriously though, why would I play that if I have Halo 3 in the next room? O_o lol!
Lord Negatron @ Dec 18th 2008 10:10AM
I miss being a kid. Quality whats that? Although i was rather picky about what toys i required on X Mas/Birthdays.
"Tunnel Rat!?!?" I specifically said Quick Kick or Storm Shadow!!!"
*Chucks GI Joe package at the back of fleeing parents head*
xFenixKnightx @ Dec 18th 2008 10:18AM
At least I'm supporting them (in a way) by buying Haze for my kids. Forget yall. :P
Duke @ Dec 18th 2008 10:18AM
Damn Fenix, you schooled me in Haze last night. I was amazed at the skills you have in that game. Each time I thought I could get a kill - blam! You were right there like you had the maps memorized. You sir are one Haze mega star!!!
xFenixKnightx @ Dec 18th 2008 10:26AM
Thats it Duke, you're off my PSN friends list! I told you not to tell anyone that we're closet Haze players! :P
BTW, I actually haven't bought it yet. You must have been playing with Noshino and thought it was me. :P
DangerMouse @ Dec 18th 2008 10:27AM
I had more fun with the Haze demo than i did the resistance one. I'd probably buy haze before resistance, but until they're cheaper, i'll pass, as they both seemed to be very boring.
But it is funny to see the Haze Defense Force come out of hibernation for one last bout, though.
eNrique @ Dec 18th 2008 2:44PM
01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01101010 01110101 01110011 01110100 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101000 01111001 01110000 01101111 01100011 01110010 01101001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01110000 01110010 01101001 01100011 01101011
Por cierto vívora, lo aniquilaste totalmente con tu respuesta, este pendejo y el deaftly ya me tienen hasta el culo con su puta hipocresia y comentarios pendejos.
Drew @ Dec 18th 2008 4:03PM
eN, you opened up my mind, man. I can see that butter is way better than margarine. I saw through the bullshit.
Biggie @ Dec 18th 2008 9:54AM
Sad day, I really enjoyed Time Splitters 2 and Second Sight. Well I hope all the people on the team find new jobs.
Kamizar @ Dec 18th 2008 9:55AM
Seems like the business got stuck in a Haze...
DETH-DEFIANCE @ Dec 18th 2008 10:04AM
It's never good to hear a stodio close down, i never like Timeshitters and Haze i did like...until i watch the 2nd trailer at features gameplay in a second time...
WRE @ Dec 18th 2008 10:20AM
Read the post I'm replying to out loud with a fake Russian accent. It's good for a lol.
JoeTheBlow @ Dec 18th 2008 10:08AM
Such a damn shame.
Every, well most, dev houses make a mis-step or two, but its just a shame they made theirs right as the world plunged into the financial toilet.
These are dark times, my gaming compadres, dark times indeed.
Damian @ Dec 18th 2008 10:17AM
Oh please Microsoft or Sony buy them before they go bankrupt.
Mr Khan @ Dec 18th 2008 10:18AM
Just when TimeSplitters 4 was headed in Wii's direction, too...
Oh well
Corbo @ Dec 18th 2008 10:22AM
Presumably a result of the commercial failure (or just insufficient success, I don't really know the exact figures) of Haze, combined with the lack of a major seller since the last 'Splitters in 2005 and the general state of the economy.
Still a shame though, especially since a new 'Splitters and Battlefront 3 would probably have been more than enough to keep them going. It wouldn't be ideal but it would be better if they were swallowed up by some big company than if they just closed down completely.