FRD closes their doors!

Apparently independent British based company, Free Radical Design have shut the doors for good, after the failure of Haze loosing the Star Wars Battlefront III contract and how the economy is right now it's a shame to see them go, the main point on my mind is now what will happen to there Timesplitters series; considering there was supposed to be a 4th one in production, here are some links about it.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homenews/185-jobs-risk-games-company/article-558753-detail/article.html
http://kotaku.com/5113037/free-radical-shuts-down
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/free-radical-design-latest-to-face-financial-trouble
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88257-Free-Radical-Pulls-The-Plug-UPDATED

While I don't see anything on there website right now, this could still be a possible rumor however with all these articles and there recent predicament it wouldn't be a far off bet to say that they have indeed closed down.

This happened on the 18th December 2008. (Apparently)

Are you sure? They were in production of a game right now.

"A new project for next-gen consoles by LucasArts and developer Free Radical, the makers of the TimeSplitters franchise."

http://au.xbox360.ign.com/objects/849/849967.html

Surely Lucasarts would have the funding needed for a new project to keep the developers with jobs?

Haze did suck badly. I'm actually now glad that they didn't make BattleFront3 because that would've sucked too.

Originally posted by MIŠT
Are you sure? They were in production of a game right now.

"A new project for next-gen consoles by LucasArts and developer Free Radical, the makers of the TimeSplitters franchise."

http://au.xbox360.ign.com/objects/849/849967.html

Surely Lucasarts would have the funding needed for a new project to keep the developers with jobs?

Originally posted by Neo Darkhalen
after the failure of Haze; loosing the Star Wars Battlefront III contract

They lost the contract.

And yes it is official, they have closed down.

Originally posted by Nemesis X
Haze did suck badly. I'm actually now glad that they didn't make BattleFront3 because that would've sucked too.

I don't see how one bad game could suddenly make them awful, Timesplitters is a great game series (or at least was) with all 3 games being one of the top 8 highest rated shooting games on PS2.

Second sight wasn't exactly bad either, they just dropped the ball with Haze, which goes to show one bad game can indeed kill a company, although I think loosing the contract to Star wars and the fact they couldn't find a publisher for TS4 may have helped end them.

Factor Fire is out of business too.

They have'nt been shutdown the company has only gone into administration.

Originally posted by Kazenji
They have'nt been shutdown the company has only gone into administration.

In other words, they have closed down, Doake and Ellis have gone off to make a new company with 50 handpicked FRD employees, it wasn't exactly a big company so I doubt FRD could come back from there troubles.

And here I thought only Midway had troubles.

Originally posted by Nemesis X
And here I thought only Midway had troubles.

Midway still exist?

Originally posted by S_D_J
Midway still exist?

Not for much longer.

Sorry, but I had to edit the thread title. The typos were driving me insane 😛

Originally posted by Neo Darkhalen
In other words, they have closed down,

Ummm no

this is what administration means

Administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions which functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent companies and allows them to carry on running their business. The process — an alternative to liquidation — is often known as going into administration.

So pretty much they're still going.

Originally posted by Kazenji
Ummm no

this is what administration means

So pretty much they're still going.

But everyone left the company. awebrow

And yes i am well aware what Administration means, but the fact still stands that most of the employees are filing CV's to other British based company's while Doake and Ellis have gone off to found there new company Pumpkin beach.

I would like to see how FRD comes back from this when it's workers have jumped ship.

I understand what you're saying from a techincal and buisness view they are still going, but if the workers have already left, and the two major heads of the company have gone to make a new company with 50 hand picked FRD staff members then it's pretty much dead.

Originally posted by Nactous
Factor Fire is out of business too.

Factor 5

also adding to some other posts. i read that most of Free Radical or whomever was behind Crackdown formed a new studio called Ruffian Games and only formed together to specifically make Crackdown 2

Originally posted by Neo Darkhalen
But everyone left the company. awebrow

And yes i am well aware what Administration means, but the fact still stands that most of the employees are filing CV's to other British based company's while Doake and Ellis have gone off to found there new company Pumpkin beach.

I would like to see how FRD comes back from this when it's workers have jumped ship.

I understand what you're saying from a techincal and buisness view they are still going, but if the workers have already left, and the two major heads of the company have gone to make a new company with 50 hand picked FRD staff members then it's pretty much dead.

Sorry i just thought you were thinking of the other adminstration something like computer adminstration gone off to do that and stopped making games.

I dont think this looks "sucky" at all;

http://kotaku.com/5131846/leaked-star-wars-battlefront-3-gameplay-footage?autoplay=true

They're pushing it with playable gungans and ewoks...ermmnone

The lightsaber fight cutscene looked badass though.

Originally posted by MIŠT
They're pushing it with playable gungans and ewoks...ermmnone

The lightsaber fight cutscene looked badass though.

Playable Gungans and Ewoks? That's beyond fail.