One of gaming’s most ambitious fan projects just announced its launch date. TimeSplitters Rewind, a massive remake combining all three TimeSplitters games into one package, releases November 23, 2025. That’s just 26 days away after 12 years of development by nearly 200 volunteer contributors. And the best part? It’s completely free with no microtransactions, no hidden costs, and no catch.
The announcement came October 26, perfectly timed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original TimeSplitters’ North American launch. Developer Cinder Interactive dropped a new trailer alongside confirmation that this labor of love is finally ready for players. After years of updates promising the project was close, TimeSplitters fans can finally mark their calendars for the return of one of the PS2 era’s most beloved shooters.
What Is TimeSplitters Rewind
TimeSplitters Rewind isn’t a traditional HD collection where you get three separate games with updated graphics. Instead, it’s described as a greatest hits compilation that captures the spirit of all three original titles in one unified experience. Think of it as the ultimate TimeSplitters package where content from TimeSplitters, TimeSplitters 2, and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect coexist in a single executable.
The project serves as both remake and love letter, faithfully recreating the visual, audio, and mechanical systems that made the originals special while modernizing everything for current hardware. It’s built in Unreal Engine with the goal of capturing the look and feel of the games rather than simply upscaling old assets. This approach allows for quality-of-life improvements while maintaining the authentic TimeSplitters experience that defined the series.
The Launch Content Is Staggering
When TimeSplitters Rewind launches November 23, it will include 28 maps pulled from across the trilogy, 91 playable characters ranging from the iconic Monkey to fan favorites like Cortez and R-110, and 41 weapons spanning from dual-wielded pistols to future tech laser rifles. The game supports up to 10 players online with matchmaking, plus offline play with AI bots for that classic split-screen feel.
The content breakdown includes 50 Arcade Leagues that test different skill sets and playstyles, 32 Challenges providing structured objectives beyond standard deathmatches, and 20 Arcade Game Modes including classics like Virus, Capture the Bag, and the brand new Team Elimination mode created specifically for Rewind. At launch, the full story mode from TimeSplitters 1 will be available in both online co-op and offline versions, with campaigns from the sequels planned for future updates.
Story Mode Comes First
The decision to launch with only the first game’s campaign might disappoint some fans, but it reflects the team’s commitment to quality over rushing everything out. The original TimeSplitters featured a unique structure where story missions were essentially timed challenges set across different historical periods. Rewind recreates this experience completely, letting players battle through 1935 Chinese restaurant shootouts, 1895 tomb raiding, 2035 space station infiltrations, and more.
Campaigns from TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect will follow in post-launch updates as the team continues development. This staggered approach ensures the initial release is polished rather than shipping all content in rough states. Given that Cinder Interactive is doing this entirely for free with volunteer labor, patience seems reasonable for getting two more full campaigns eventually.
Twelve Years in Development
The TimeSplitters Rewind story begins in 2012 when fans started petitioning for an HD trilogy after developer Free Radical Design closed in 2009 and plans for TimeSplitters 4 died with it. By 2013, Crytek, which owned the TimeSplitters IP at the time, officially sanctioned the fan team to develop Rewind as a non-commercial project. That permission was crucial – without it, this would have been a legal nightmare waiting to happen.
Development kicked off in earnest around 2013 with a small core team that gradually expanded as word spread through gaming communities. Nearly 200 contributors eventually joined, ranging from hobbyists learning game development to AAA professionals donating their free time. Some put in just a few hours here and there, others committed thousands of hours across the decade-plus development cycle. The project survived multiple personnel changes, technical rebuilds, and long periods of public silence when progress slowed.
A March 2024 update showed the project was still alive but struggling to find enough contributors to finish. The team made a candid call for help, specifically needing programmers, animators, and quality assurance testers. That push appears to have worked, as just seven months later they’re announcing a firm release date with enough confidence to go public.
Why TimeSplitters Matters
For anyone who didn’t grow up with a PlayStation 2 or GameCube, TimeSplitters might seem like just another old shooter. But for those who experienced it, the series represented something special that the FPS genre largely abandoned. The games featured massive character rosters with wildly creative designs – where else could a gingerbread man duel a skeleton monkey in a haunted mansion? The level editor let players create custom maps and game modes, fostering creativity that modern AAA shooters often lock behind developer tools.
Most importantly, TimeSplitters captured pure fun over military realism or competitive balance. Matches were chaotic, weapons were ridiculous, and nobody took it too seriously. That spirit of joyful absurdity has largely disappeared from mainstream shooters, replaced by battle passes, seasonal content, and endless grinding. TimeSplitters Rewind brings back an era when shooters could be silly without apologizing for it.
Technical Requirements
Cinder Interactive set the minimum system requirements at Steam Deck specs using Proton compatibility layer. This ensures the game will run smoothly across a wide range of hardware configurations, from modern gaming PCs down to modest laptops and handheld devices. The team prioritized accessibility over pushing graphical boundaries, a practical choice for a free fan project that wants maximum reach.
The game will be available through direct download from the official website rather than Steam or other storefronts. This avoids potential legal complications with platform agreements and keeps distribution firmly in the fans’ hands. Installation should be straightforward – download, unzip, and play without requiring launchers or account creation.
The Official Reboot That Never Happened
TimeSplitters Rewind exists partly because the official reboot announced in 2021 appears stuck in development hell. Deep Silver acquired the TimeSplitters IP from Crytek and announced they were reviving the series with a new game. Original TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design was even reformed specifically for the project, bringing back some of the original team members who made the classics.
But years later, there’s been radio silence. No gameplay, no screenshots, no concrete updates beyond vague reassurances that development continues. The gaming industry is littered with announced reboots that never materialize, and TimeSplitters 4 increasingly looks like it might join that graveyard. Meanwhile, fans refused to wait and built their own version instead.
Legal Concerns and Fan Projects
The biggest question hovering over TimeSplitters Rewind is whether it can survive long-term without legal action. While Crytek gave permission back in 2013, Deep Silver now owns the IP and hasn’t publicly endorsed the project. Fan games exist in precarious legal territory where rights holders can shut them down at any moment, even after years of development.
However, several factors work in Rewind’s favor. It’s completely non-commercial with zero monetization, making it harder to argue financial damages. The project has existed openly for over a decade without takedown notices, suggesting Deep Silver is either unaware or tacitly accepting. And shutting down a beloved fan project generates terrible PR, especially when the official reboot has nothing to show. Still, downloading on launch day seems wise given the legal uncertainty.
What Happens After Launch
Cinder Interactive describes the November 23 release as initial launch rather than version 1.0. The team plans continued development adding content from TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect, including their story campaigns, additional maps, more characters, and further arcade leagues. How quickly these updates arrive depends entirely on volunteer availability since nobody is being paid.
The community will likely play a major role in post-launch content. The original TimeSplitters games featured robust map editors, and Rewind could enable similar user-generated content once the core game stabilizes. Modding support would extend the game’s lifespan indefinitely, letting the community create the content that keeps players engaged long after the official updates stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does TimeSplitters Rewind release?
TimeSplitters Rewind launches November 23, 2025. The game will be available as a free download from the official website at timesplittersrewind.com.
How much does TimeSplitters Rewind cost?
Completely free. There are no microtransactions, no hidden costs, no premium versions. The entire game is free because it’s a fan project made by volunteers without permission to charge money.
What platforms is TimeSplitters Rewind on?
PC is the primary platform, with minimum specs set at Steam Deck requirements. The game should run on Windows and Linux through Proton. No console versions are planned.
Will all three TimeSplitters campaigns be available at launch?
Only the first TimeSplitters campaign will be available at launch. Campaigns from TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect will be added in future free updates.
Is TimeSplitters Rewind legal?
Crytek granted permission for the project in 2013 when they owned the IP. Deep Silver now owns TimeSplitters and hasn’t publicly commented, creating some legal uncertainty. The project is non-commercial which provides some protection.
Can I play TimeSplitters Rewind online?
Yes, the game supports up to 10 players online with matchmaking. You can also play offline with AI bots or in local split-screen multiplayer.
Who developed TimeSplitters Rewind?
Cinder Interactive, a team of nearly 200 volunteer contributors including hobbyists and AAA game developers. Development has taken over 12 years with tens of thousands of donated hours.
Will there be a map editor?
Not confirmed for launch, but the original games featured robust map editors and the community expects similar functionality in Rewind eventually.
A Decade’s Worth of Love
TimeSplitters Rewind represents something rare in modern gaming – pure passion without commercial motivation. Nearly 200 people spent over a decade recreating beloved games knowing they’d never see a dollar in return. They did it because TimeSplitters mattered to them, because the series deserved to exist on modern hardware, and because sometimes the best way to preserve gaming history is taking matters into your own hands.
Whether Rewind survives long-term depends on factors beyond the team’s control. Legal challenges could shut it down tomorrow. Technical issues could plague the launch. The player base might not materialize in numbers that justify continued development. But for now, for this moment, fans have succeeded in doing what major publishers couldn’t or wouldn’t – bringing TimeSplitters back from the dead.
November 23 marks more than just a game launch. It’s validation that fan projects can succeed against impossible odds when people care enough to make them happen. And for anyone who spent countless hours playing split-screen TimeSplitters on PlayStation 2, arguing about whether the Monkey was overpowered, or creating absurd custom modes in the map editor, it’s a chance to experience that magic again. Download it on day one. You might not get another chance.