It’s been over a year since we last brought you an update on TimeSplitters Rewind, a Crytek-approved fan reimagining of the popular first-person shooter trilogy.
However, amidst speculation over the future of the project following the closure of several of Crytek’s studios, developer Josh Nuttall has confirmed that “the game is still under development”, although a non-disclosure agreement has been signed by the team with regards to the release of new information and assets.
Nuttall was able to confirm that Rewind had undergone a number of programmatic and personnel changes behind the scenes in recent months, apparently brought on by Crytek’s direct involvement with the title. He explained: “We had to make changes to suit Crytek’s needs; a lot of the team didn’t agree with the changes and left.
“The changes were massive; it caused a whole fresh start for all the programming side – but that was months ago and we can’t talk about what is happening now.”
The revelation is an intriguing one, as Crytek has in the past taken a ‘hands-off’ approach with regards to the project; the move has prompted speculation that the publisher may have made a significant investment in the game.
TimeSplitters Rewind was born in 2012 after an unsuccessful fan petition to Crytek that urged the studio to resume development on the shelved TimeSplitters 4. Some of the more technically minded fans of the cult first-person shooter franchise soon decided to begin production on their own game based on the series, and TS Rewind was born. The team were subsequently given the go-ahead from Crytek, who also offered up official assets from the three games in the franchise as well as expert help.
TimeSplitters Rewind is a standalone game, originally built using the CryEngine but now believed to be running in Unreal Engine, which encompasses the most popular aspects from all three games in the original series. Although the developmental team are using the original assets as a reference point, they are recreating everything “from the ground up”. It is being developed for PC, with a later PS4 release also being planned.