Free Radical heads already have new studio formed and will 'hand pick' staff to join them
A report on Edge Online goes into further detail about the closure of Free Radical, adding that company founders David Doak and Steve Ellis have already formed a new studio.
Called Pumpkin Beach, the new outfit already has a place holder website registered to Ellis.
According to the report, Doak left Free Radical earlier this month, and will now work with Ellis on a new project and 'hand pick' staff from Free Radical to join them.
About 20 staff were reportedly told they would be welcome to work with Ellis at the new studio - although the remaining 160 staff of the studio were purportedly told at the same time that the closure of Free Radical would leave them without jobs.
Free Radical went into administration yesterday and is known for its TimeSplitters series of games - and to a lesser extent, recent PS3 exclusive Haze.
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That's tough on the 160. We placed 4 new recruits at Free Radical in the last 18 months. We have many jobs to fill but for 160, it will take a while.
Doak should fix Free Radical, not abandond it and it's loyal staff to go create a new studio.
Yeah... maybe Pumpkin Beach will pick up the TS4. I mean, its the same guys who are making it...
well at least there not gone id miss all the great games they made and battlefront 3 looked brilliant but i do have to comment on the stupid name for a games company pumpkin beach what does the name resemble and mean to them?
I wonder if they'll take that annoying Rob Yescombe bloke, if they do he's clearly sleeping with someone as Haze proved its certainly not his excellent script writing skills or cringe worthy PR antics.
Bad sales.
Slated reviews.
And a bankrupt company.
If it meant the end of that terrible guy it would not be such a bad loss afterall!!
The irony is the people they pick will probably be the same people who made the managerial errors at the last place.
It's always the case, the good guys get fired, and the those that cause the problems get to dip under the radar and have an extra shot.
Timesplitters 2010 here were come.
Personaly I think FRD's descision to go third party exclusive with thier games 'HAZE on PS3' contributed to the death of the company. By getting the games out to the biggest possible audiance they can get more of thier investment back.
