The video gaming world recently witnessed the curious evolution of a beloved franchise's reboot. Known for its unique sense of humor and engaging gameplay, the TimeSplitters series faced an uncertain future when attempts were made to bring it back to life. A former developer from the now-defunct Free Radical Design studio has shared details about the reboot, which went through significant conceptual changes before its ultimate cancellation.
The developer, who remained unnamed but had their credentials confirmed via access to unseen character models from the game, spoke candidly with a fan wiki called The Free Radical Archive. They revealed how the initial blueprint for the reboot closely resembled Epic Games' wildly successful title, Fortnite, particularly its battle royale mode. Like Fortnite, the game was envisioned as a free-to-play experience and included modes that fans of the original TimeSplitters might recognize, such as deathmatch, team deathmatch, and the iconic capture the bag.
However, the team's heart wasn't set on creating a Fortnite clone. As the developer expressed, "Nobody wanted that really, not even us," yet they felt constrained by the direction chosen for the project. Nonetheless, the team persevered in this direction, despite reservations.
Earlier this year brought a significant pivot in the project's course. Steering away from the battle royale concept, the developers decided to anchor the reboot more closely to the franchise's roots. They began crafting a remake of TimeSplitters 2, which is considered by many fans to be a high point of the series. The new vision for the game also included new and modified levels, drawing from the first game and its sequel, Future Perfect. Furthermore, the story took a fresh twist by centering around Corporal Hart rather than the original protagonist, Cortez, introducing an alternate timeline narrative.
The push for this direction seemed to have hindered marketing efforts, with much of the team working with placeholder assets. It was only during the final year or so that artists were brought on board to help bring the game to life visually. Concept art began to take shape, although initial efforts in art development required significant revisions or were completely discarded.
The unnamed developer clarified that this reboot was entirely distinct from the cancelled TimeSplitters 4, which was in development by Dambuster Studios. No work or material from that iteration were incorporated into the reboot project. However, despite the progress made, the game still needed at least two more years of development to fully realize the shift from a battle royale format to the remake of TimeSplitters 2, especially in light of the "massive 180" turn the project had taken.
Unfortunately, amidst a wave of redundancies and studio closures overseen by Embracer Group, Free Radical Design was shuttered. This closure led to the cancellation of the TimeSplitters reboot and the termination of the entire development team. While some members of the original team wound up at Dambuster, they are not working on the reboot.
The future of TimeSplitters remains uncertain. The former developer reflected on the project's demise with a tone of regret, noting their personal fondness for the series. They held a glimmer of hope that perhaps Plaion, an Embracer division, might assign another studio to revive the TimeSplitters brand in the future, though nothing is assured.
The tale of the TimeSplitters reboot serves as a poignant reminder of the often unpredictable and swiftly changing landscape of the video game industry, where creative visions, corporate realities, and a longing for nostalgia frequently clash. The legacy of TimeSplitters endures, capturing the hearts of fans with a promise of what could have been, blending an appreciation for the series' past with dreams for its future.
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