Reviving TimeSplitters: The Untold Story of Free Radical Design's Rebirth

The TimeSplitters series, a beloved first-person shooter franchise, had been dormant for years. Its original creators, including Steve Ellis, had moved on to other projects. However, in 2018, Koch Media, now known as Plaion, acquired the rights to the franchise, sparking hopes of a revival. Ellis, eager to explore the possibility of bringing back TimeSplitters, reached out to Plaion's CEO, Klemens Kundratitz, and proposed setting up a new team to develop a new game in the series. With a small budget, Ellis began assembling a team, mostly comprising graduates, to create a prototype. The project faced numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the team to work remotely. Despite these obstacles, the team made progress, and by the end of the prototype period, they had grown to 14 people and were ready to pitch their idea to Plaion. The company gave the green light, and the decision was made to form a new studio, Free Radical Design 2.0. Ellis opted to hire graduates, citing their lack of preconceptions and fresh perspectives as valuable assets in reviving the series. The team worked tirelessly to create a game that would appeal to both old and new fans, but their efforts were ultimately cut short when Embracer, Plaion's parent company, imposed a hiring freeze and later decided to close the studio. The cancellation of the project was a significant blow to Ellis and his team, particularly the young developers who had invested so much time and effort into the game. With the studio's closure, the future of TimeSplitters remains uncertain, and Ellis, though taking a break, is undecided about his next move, but his passion for game development remains unwavering.