Gotta love recessions…
There’s been no official word yet, but it seems the economic downturn has hit another developer.
Free Radical, developers of the Timesplitters series, the brilliant Second Sight and the (unfortunately) thoroughly mediocre Haze, have apparantly been taken too the wall.
Sad too see people go, but after Haze’s frosty critical reception, i’m actually surprised they weren’t disbanded earlier.
Update –
Seems to be official now. Tiga have issued a statement…
“On behalf of all Tiga members, I would like to say how sorry the whole industry is to hear of the fate of Free Radical Design… …The studio has employed some very talented teams developing first class games over the years. Free Radical Design has also been a member of Tiga and a strong supporter of our trade association.
I would like to congratulate everyone at the studio for their past achievements and I wish everyone good fortune in finding a new job as quickly as possible. Free Radical Design’s demise highlights the difficult economic environment in which UK games developers do business.”
🙁
Update2 –
1UP is carrying the story of the fallout from FR’s collapse –
Troubled UK developer Free Radical is to lose over three quarters of its staff, it was announced today. The company is to be left with a skeleton staff of around 40, and is now officially up for sale.
Speaking to 1UP, Cameron Gunn of administrators ReSolve Partners said, “We made around 140 employees redundant yesterday, effective 31 December (the date up to which they had been paid). We’re still trading on with the remaining 40 or so employees, have advertised the business for sale and have received some strong interest.”
🙁2