Footage of the canceled TimeSplitters game leaves fans cold
Free Radical Design was one of the studios that fell victim to the Embracer Group’s cost cutting program last year and was shut down entirely with its then-development project, an entry into the TimeSplitters franchise, getting axed as well.
One former employee of the studio posted almost six minutes of footage from the canceled title, which is called TimeSplitters Next in the video. According to the opening seconds, this gameplay slice represents a status snapshot of the project from July 2023, which dates the video around three months before the studio was closed.
TimeSplitters Next was axed about three months after the published video had been created.
Free Radical Design
“So, you want to know about the canceled TimeSplitters game? I'll be sure to post what I can... Embracer Group can go hide in a cave somewhere,” the former Free Radical Design developer wrote.
Contained within the footage are gameplay scenes comparing older series entries with the new game, which look very reminiscent of Fortnite when it comes to the visuals of the user interface, characters, and map – an impression that’s currently being widely discussed online, with some spectators dryly commenting that the game was giving them “Fortnite at home” vibes.
Frankly, that impression is hard to deny. Even the in-game store (and, naturally, the battle pass) look like they’re ripped from Epic Games’ battle royale phenomenon at first glance. One subtitle even claims that the game was “Bursting With Character”.
TimeSplitters Next would have featured several game modes, some of which could house up to 100 players, bringing many of the previous games’ maps back in a new form. Players could’ve used movement mechanics like gliders and sliding to get around the map or hide in barrels to set up ambushes. Various weapon types from different historical eras would have been accessible, such as assault rifles, shotguns, and sniper rifles.
