TimeSplitters has been away for too long. The series hasn’t had a new entry since 2005 and its fans are tired of waiting. They’ve banded together to set up a Facebook page entitled “100,000 Strong for TimeSplitters 4” with the intention of getting a long-awaited sequel green lit.
The petition has raised the interest of multiple parties, hinting that Crytek (holders of the TimeSplitters license) are aware and taking notice. Former Free Radical team member Graeme Norgate has stated he’ll compose a ‘victory song’ dedicated to the campaign if it reaches 100,000 likes, while a current Crytek artist has supposedly said he’ll contribute a character design for the concept if fans can gather – a slightly less imposing – 1000 likes.
Most interesting though was a recent tweet sent out by Cevat Yerli – founder & CEO of Crytek – who invited the TimeSplitters community to raise their voices and prove their enthusiasm for the long-dormant franchise. Yerli also expressed his personal interest in the series during a recent inteview with CVG, musing that he’d love to see a new TimeSplitters released on G-Face– Crytek’s own streaming service.
Spirits seem to be high for this latest gamer-led petition, especially following the recent successes of Operation Rainfall, Dark Souls: Prepare to Die and number of high-profile Kickstarter projects. So far the campaign has amassed 9,138 likes- a total that is rising at a healthy clip.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that TimeSplitters 4 will be made even if the petition does reach its goal, but it’d at least send out a signal to Crytek that significant interest in the franchise still exists.
Best case scenario? They’ll announce TimeSplitters 4 as a launch-window title for next-gen. Worst case scenario? They’ll laugh and try to appease us with some old concept art. Most likely successful outcome? Crytek commission a downloadable TimeSplitters title, realising that there’s room in the market for an unhinged, charming and thematically varied FPS that’s the antithesis of all things modern-military. Saints Row: The Third proved that gamers don’t always want complex stories and grounded characters; sometimes a hint chaos and a dash of absurdity is all that’s desired.
Want to lend your support? Click on the petition link below and help spread the word.
