Embracer Group has been one of the biggest reasons 2023 has been called a year of layoffs in gaming, with the company laying off nearly 900 developers in its last quarter.
The worst part is that these layoffs show no sign of stopping, and as was previously rumoured, it seems that Timesplitters developer Free Radical Design will indeed close only two years after it was reformed with a new Timesplitters in development.
According to a report from VGC, Embracer Group’s chief executive officer Lars Wingefors confirmed internally through a company email that Free Radical Design will be closed on December 11, 2023.
“As we move through the consultation process and face the potential closure of Free Radical Design on 11 December 2023, I want to express my gratitude for your commitment and the remarkable work you’ve done and still keep doing.” Wingefors reportedly wrote in the email.
“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.”
Not just for Timesplitters fans, but for the industry, it’s extremely disappointing to see how Embracer Group has had such a negative impact in games this year.
For the shopping spree that Embracer went on in the last few years with studios to end with the company laying off a massive chunk of its workforce is not just irresponsible, but almost deplorable.
Especially when those who made the short-sighted decisions to purchase these studios without seemingly having a proper plan get to keep their jobs.
Hopefully those effected by the layoffs will be able to land on their feet quickly.
Source – [VGC]