FRD Website Archive/Press Releases

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NOTTINGHAM, UK -- 24 February 2004 -- Free Radical Design, developer of the highly successful and critically acclaimed TimeSplitters series announces their latest game, Second Sight.
Combining an immersive thriller storyline with paranormal psychic abilities, stealthy exploration and intense shooter action "Second Sight" redefines the standards for action adventure narrative and gameplay (for PlayStation2, Xbox and Gamecube).
"Like he's ever getting out - he's a psycho killer."
John Vattic awakens from a coma in a sinister US medical facility where he has been subjected to traumatic surgery and experimentation.
His body and mind are broken, he doesn't know his name, he can't remember his past, all he knows is that his only hope for survival is to escape and unravel the mystery that has led to his imprisonment.
Finding fragments of the past reveals his previous involvement in a covert military mission investigating psychic research in Siberia...
... A mission that went horribly wrong.
... A mission that empowered him with awesome psychic abilities which can devastate the people and world around him.
Haunted by flashbacks, tormented by his powers and gripped by the fear that he may have been somehow to blame for what happened in Siberia, John Vattic begins searching for survivors from the failed expedition and uncovers a fatal chain of events leading to a sinister conspiracy and sickening abuse of power.
David Doak, Director of Free Radical, says:
"Second Sight realises our ambitions to create exciting fresh IP and innovate in a new genre. It brings together great gameplay and a compelling story - everyone at Free Radical is really excited about this one."
Steve Ellis, Director of Free Radical, says:
"Second Sight marks an important step in the expansion of Free Radical. The company has grown to two talented teams, developing two great original products. We've come a long way in 5 years."
Development of Second Sight will be completed shortly, with an anticipated worldwide release later in 2004.
About Free Radical Design
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design Ltd is a wholly independent videogames developer based in Nottingham, UK. Recently, Free Radical Design was the winner of Develop magazines 'Best Independent Developer' Award, and TimeSplitters 2 received 5 nominations for the 2004 BAFTA Games Awards. Second Sight, TimeSplitters and Free Radical Design are trademarks or registered trademarks of Free Radical Design Ltd.
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===EA ANNOUNCES TIME SPLITTERS FUTURE PERFECT FOR 2005===
====Critically Acclaimed First Person Shooter Returns with Innovative Time Travel Gameplay, Improved Story Mode, Single Player Co-op Mode, Online Play, and More====
Chertsey, UK. - May 6, 2004 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today the return of one of the most critically acclaimed console first-person shooters with TimeSplitters Future PerfectTM, in development by Free Radical Design Ltd. and is to ship in early 2005 under the EA GamesTM brand.
In TimeSplitters Future Perfect, victory is in the hands of the player's past, present, and future self in a battle that stretches throughout time where humanity is on the brink of destruction from the malevolent TimeSplitters. Cortez-the tough-as-nails hero from previous installments-finds himself in a frantic race against time in a desperate bid to trace the origin of the TimeSplitters and save mankind.
This third installment of the best-selling franchise will feature hundreds of hours of gameplay and an improved Story mode that ties all the missions together, immersing gamers in an epic adventure between the years of 1914 and 2401. Innovative "meet yourself" time travel gameplay lets players be their own ally by teaming up with past and future versions of themselves. The game also will allow two players to fight through the Story in Co-op mode, and features extensive Challenge and Arcade modes, and a Multiplayer mode that will allow gamers to battle in 16-player death match online on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. In addition, gamers will experience an improved Map Maker feature allowing them to easily create and play their own maps and share them online. TimeSplitters Future Perfect promises to be one of the deepest arcade shooters on the console with hundreds of unlockables, more realistic environments, spectacular special effects, high quality animated cut scenes, an improved physics engine, smarter enemy AI, and much more.
Under development by UK-based Free Radical Design Ltd, the team behind the celebrated TimeSplitters franchise, TimeSplitters Future Perfect is scheduled for release in early 2005 for the PlayStation 2 console, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, and Nintendo GameCubeTM.
====About Electronic Arts====
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues of $2.96 billion for fiscal 2004. The company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. In 2003 EA had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EA GamesTM and EA SPORTS BIGTM. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
====About Free Radical Design Ltd.====
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design Ltd. is a wholly independent videogames developer based in Nottingham, UK. Free Radical Design was the winner of Develop magazines 'Best Independent Developer' award in 2003, and TimeSplitters 2 received 5 nominations for the 2004 BAFTA Games Awards.
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Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and EA Games are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2004 Free Radical Design Limited. "TimeSplitters", "TimeSplitters Future Perfect" and "Free Radical Design" are trademarks of Free Radical Design Ltd. All rights reserved. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. , Nintendo GameCube is a trademark of Nintendo. Microsoft and Xbox are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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==Haze™, the new AAA shooter from Ubisoft and Free Radical, puts players in the boots of a new recruit in the privately run Mantel army.==
Set in the year 2048 in a world where Governments have outsourced military operations to Private Military Corporations (PMC), you play a newly enlisted soldier seeking fulfillment and thrills by fighting for a good cause.
As the leading PMC, Mantel Global Industries offers a high-tech arsenal of vehicles, deadly weaponry, and on top of that a performance enhancing bio-medical support known as Nectar. As a result, Mantel troopers are the most feared by terrorists, dictators, and the corporation's political enemies.
Your conflict begins in a war-torn country where you have been sent to fight a vicious rebel faction, the Promise Hand. At first glance, all is well, but things quickly begin to look a little strange...
====Key Features====
*Impeccable FPS credentials: from the developers of the critically-acclaimed TimeSplitters® series and the publishers of Far Cry® and Ghost Recon® Advanced Warfighter™. Free Radical and Ubisoft have proven their ability to create innovative platform-defining FPS titles.
*Become a Mantel Trooper and fight the merciless guerrillas of the Promise Hand with the most advanced gear, the fastest vehicles, the deadliest weapons - and Nectar, Mantel's battlefield-optimized performance-enhancing medication.
*Boost your fighting abilities with Nectar, empowering Mantel troopers with fighting abilities such as Nectar Focus, Nectar Foresight, Nectar Perception and Melee Blast. Using these skills, troopers are able to detect and avoid imminent danger as well as deliver powerful attacks in close quarters.
*Mature and compelling storyline. A tightly integrated storyline makes Haze an immersive narrative experience as well as a cutting-edge shooter.
*Cutting edge gaming technology featuring the Disparity Rendering System™ shaping the players' views of the world on and off Nectar. Haze also features an entirely streamed experience with no loading times between levels.
*State of the art multiplayer modes. Fire up your console for online battles and choose from a variety of online modes including furious 4 player co-op action!
About Free Radical:
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design is one of the UKs leading independent videogame developers and is now wholly focused on next-generation development. It recently achieved its first listing in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, being one of the UKs fastest growing technology companies. To learn more, please visit www.frd.co.uk.
About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 547 million Euros for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
==KORN TO RELEASE ORIGINAL SONG FOR UBISOFT'S HAZE™ VIDEO GAME==
October 22, 2007 - Today, Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that the multi-platinum selling ground-breaking hard rock band Korn has written and recorded an original song inspired by Ubisoft's upcoming Haze™ video game. The song will be launched to radio and video in November 2007, to coincide with the launch of the Haze video game. The single, entitled "Haze", will be available for via online music download sites.
Korn, who released their debut in 1994, has sold more than 30 million records worldwide, releasing seven consecutive multi-platinum selling albums. Their latest untitled album was released in July of this year, debuting at #2 on the US album charts and #3 on the European album charts. Lead singer Jonathan Davis has often avowed a love of video games, including games from Ubisoft like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter® 2.
"Gaming for me is a religion and Haze is the shit!" said Jonathan Davis. "I had to come up with a track that can hit up that kind of rush I get from the game and I think we really rocked it!!"
The deal with Korn is a first for Ubisoft and marks a new strategy of creative partnership with different figures in the music industry. "This partnership with Korn is original in the video game industry in that the song will be released and promoted as a full-fledged single, and not just as a download with the video game," stated Christian Salomon, vice president of worldwide licensing at Ubisoft. "It is a testament to the synergy possibilities between music and video games, which often share the same audience."
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 23 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated sales of 680 million Euros for the 2006-07 fiscal year. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
© 2006 Ubisoft Entertainment SA and Free Radical Design Limited. All Rights Reserved. Haze is a trademark of Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design. Free Radical Design and its associated logo are trademarks of Free Radical Design Limited. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment SA. Developed by Free Radical Design Limited.Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox Live are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family, "PLAYSTATION" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
© 2007 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, the Soldier Icon, Ubisoft, Ubi.com and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.
© 2006 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Persistent Elite Creation, Ubisoft, the Ubisoft logo, Ubi.com and the Soldier Icon are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Rainbow Six, Red Storm and Red Storm logo are trademarks of Red Storm Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Red Storm Entertainment, Inc. is a Ubisoft Entertainment company.
==HAZE™ TARGETS RELEASE DATE - NEW VIDEO AVAILABLE NOW!==
February 26th, 2008- Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today announced that HAZE, the new first-person shooter developed by shooter experts Free Radical, creators of the critically acclaimed TimeSplitters® series, is now scheduled for release exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system in May 2008.
Video - Haze:
The Mantel Corporation readily feeds their soldiers their sweet, sweet Nectar and arms them to the teeth with the most cutting-edge military weaponry money can buy. Getting juiced and laying waste to a band of Promise Hand rebels is all in a days work for a Mantel soldier. But for every high...there's a low. Will you buy in and fight the good fight, or dig deeper to uncover the real story behind the Promise Hand? The truth is waiting...and Haze is going to take you there. Fight the addiction...
For more information on Haze, please visit- www.hazegame.com
© 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design Limited. All Rights Reserved. Haze is a trademark of Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design. Free Radical Design and its associated logo are trademarks of Free Radical Design Limited. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Developed by Free Radical Design Limited. "PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 23 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated sales of 680 million Euros for the 2006-07 fiscal year. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
About Free Radical:
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design is one of the UKs leading independent video game developers and is now wholly focused on next-generation development. It recently achieved its first listing in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, being one of the UK's fastest-growing technology companies. To learn more, please visit www.frd.co.uk.
File:DAY-94kUwAMOajh.jpg|Written by Chris Baker from LucasArts. Notice how Peter Hirschmann uses the words 'battle' and 'front'.
LucasArts Joins Forces with Free Radical Design to Create New Next-Generation Entertainment Experience
=== LucasArts furthers its commitment to creating unprecedented next-generation gameplay by teaming with the lauded UK-based developer ===
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - August 23, 2006 - LucasArts today announced an agreement with Free Radical Design to develop a new video game for next-generation console platforms. Product and release details will be unveiled at a later date.
"Free Radical has always been about titles with great gameplay and innovative design," said Peter Hirschmann, Vice President of Product Development at LucasArts. "In the battle for videogame quality, these guys are at the front of the line. This team's pedigree is one of the best in the business."
"In recent years, LucasArts has established itself as one of the hottest publishers on the planet," said Steve Ellis, Director at Free Radical, "We're honored that they're every bit as interested to be working with us as we are to be working with them."
==== About Free Radical Design ====
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design is one of the UKs leading independent videogame developers, responsible for three of the eight best-scoring First Person Shooters on Playstation 2. It recently achieved its first listing in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, being one of the UKs fastest growing technology companies. Free Radical Design is now wholly focused on next-generation development. To learn more, please visit www.frd.co.uk.
==== About LucasArts ====
LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual effects and audio post-production; and Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses. Lucasfilm's motion picture productions include five of the 20 biggest box office hits of all time and have received 19 Oscars and 53 Academy Award nominations. Lucasfilm's television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.