Crytek UK is creating an original FPS game. Karl Hilton explains that the studio will continue to focus upon both Multiplayer and single player quality in this game. Such quality that could be found in the TimeSplitters games. This could possibly be bad news for the future of TimeSplitters 4 as new ideas are being put forward while TimeSplitters 4 is being left behind. To Develop, Karl Hilton has said,

We are currently concepting up an original IP that we hope will become a defining game series for the UK studio, however, in reality, the opportunity to make any kind of original FPS genre game where we get to focus on the quality of both the multiplayer and single player experience is what drives people at the studio. We have a strong history of creativity here, and we want to take that forward with Crytek and the CryENGINE 3.

Karl Hilton is also very keen on supporting video game education,

We are particularly keen to get involved with education in the UK and build up good communications and knowledge exchange with universities and colleges

It is expected that CryEngine 3 will be given out free to UK universities. Talking to GamesIndustry.biz, Karl Hilton has said,

Universities are looking to foster creativity and send people out into the industry who have lots of ideas, but it’s also about that practical hands-on training so that they know what the limitations are. It’s very easy for students to come out of the academic world and not have a grasp on the realities of making a video-game. The more we can get involved with them and give them feedback and access to the tools involved, the more accurate the course will become in training people up.

We’re talking with uni’s now about how they can integrate it into their courses and going down to see them to do a one day tutorial to get them up and running on that as quickly as possible. It’ll be a learning experience for both of us to see how they integrate it.

I think we’re very forward looking, Students and universities aren’t mind readers, they won’t know exactly what we do and how we do it unless they get in contact with people who actually work in the industry.

If you wish to show interest in the development of TimeSplitters 4 please read this post. The registration process has now become even easier yet more spam preventative with a simple anti-spam question rather than an image. You do not require validation, including by email, for registrations. You can start posting immediately.

In my last post I gave this quote from Karl Hilton

Like with all businesses, content is dictated by the desires of the market. These days the mass-market shooters tend to be aimed at the hyper-realistic stuff. If developers had free reign with the CryEngine, they would easily be able to produce really bizarre, wacky wonderful stuff.

We have artists who can make super-realistic games but we also have a team that has experience making completely bizarre stuff too.

If the time comes, if there is a demand for that type of game, I’m confident we’d be ready for it.

What makes Karl Hilton believe there may not be enough demand for another TimeSplitters game? If you want to support the continuation of the series with TimeSplitters 4, post why you want the series to continue and why you love TimeSplitters as much as we all do. Post your thoughts here and support the cause by getting more people to join in.

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http://crytekuk.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&p=56#p56 <– Please post your thoughts here and not by using the comment form below.

Between Develop and Karl Hilton it is confirmed Crysis 2 is Crytek UK’s main priority.

Crysis 2 is a major AAA game that we are delighted to be working on. It is a dream project.

Referring to TimeSplitters 4 Karl Hilton has said,

Going forward, we’ve always made it very clear that we want to build original games and we’re going to do that, and we are concepting some of that up at the moment.

It’s early days, but there’s some really exciting stuff that we’re concepting. When we’re ready we’ll talk to publishers, and hopefully publishers will like it, and we’ll own and produce those games in our own studio.

Karl Hilton believes today’s mass-market shooters are aimed towards realism and not so much the insane fun found in games such as TimeSplitters. He gives the impression that there may not be enough demand for another TimeSplitters game.

Like with all businesses, content is dictated by the desires of the market. These days the mass-market shooters tend to be aimed at the hyper-realistic stuff. If developers had free reign with the CryEngine, they would easily be able to produce really bizarre, wacky wonderful stuff.

We have artists who can make super-realistic games but we also have a team that has experience making completely bizarre stuff too.

If the time comes, if there is a demand for that type of game, I’m confident we’d be ready for it.

This means TimeSplitters 4 could be potentially delayed for a long time or not made at all in the worst case scenario.

I have received information from two sources, which suggest TimeSplitters 4 has been put on hold. Not only this but all of the projects from Free Radical Design have been stalled. According to one of the sources, Crytek has bought Free Radical Design specifically to help them move to console development with their own games. This can be backed by what Cevat Yerli said in an interview, referring to Free Radical Design,

I was really impressed with their development talent, and it was effectively a 100 per cent console studio, whereas Crytek in Frankfurt is clearly the exact opposite.

When I went up there the first time it was just console, console, console, and no PC. There were more consoles than I’ve ever seen. So with us developing the CryEngine 3, we saw it as a perfect fit for our future plans.

What I expect is that the team will kick ass on consoles.

It is likely Crytek UK will be supporting the console development of Crysis 2. However, this doesn’t mean TimeSplitters 4 has vanished from existence. We should hopefully see it sometime in the future. Referring to the excitement around TimeSplitters 4 Cevat Yerli had said,

I am very happy about that excitement.

It would be very odd to suddenly discover TimeSplitters 4 has been canceled.

It is also known Crytek UK will help support CryEngine 3 for consoles. Once again by Cevat Yerli,

We are going to channel our engine business there. We are going to export our engine business sales there. We are going to build tremendous value in that area in the UK.

For us Crytek UK is not just a development studio, it will support and licence our engine business. We have future announcements ahead as well, and you will see how much value we are adding to the UK studio.