Following the developer Free Radical’s closure, a former developer uploaded a few minutes of TimeSplitters Next gameplay. The footage gives some idea of what the reboot could have been.
TimeSplitters reboot gameplay leaks
Publisher Deep Silver announced the TimeSplitters reboot in 2021, only for it to shutter developer Free Radical last December. However, one former developer didn’t want the studio’s work to disappear completely. “So,” they wrote on LinkedIn, “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 post was removed, but not before someone uploaded the video to YouTube.
The footage is from a “status snapshot” dated July 2023. Fans will recognize the GoldenEye-style health and shield interfaces returning from the original games. The footage also shows the Obelisk Dam returning from TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect. However, it seemingly borrows Fortnite’s gameplay, loot system, open world, and art style. The reboot also exchanges the original’s first-person gameplay for a third-person perspective, driving further Fortnite comparisons.
Cartoonish character designs were a staple of the original TimeSplitters series, so Fortnite-esque graphics might not be too surprising. However, it seems Free Radical and Deep Silver deliberately emulated Epic’s successful battle royale game.
The original incarnation of Free Radical Design released TimeSplitters for the PlayStation 2 in 2000. It featured 18 playable characters across multiple time periods and gameplay reminiscent of Rare’s GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. The game was followed by TimeSplitters 2 in 2002 and Future Perfect in 2005. However, TimeSplitters 4, announced in 2007, was cancelled in 2012. With Free Radical closed and the reboot canceled, it is doubtful that the franchise will make a comeback any time soon.
