Sorry, Times Splitters fans, the recent hopes of a new game seem shattered.

Despite having an Easter egg Spellforce 3: Fallen God, THQ Nordic says a Times Splitter 2 The remake is not coming.

Times Splitters fans are a patient group. Classic FPS was prominent in the early 2000s, with attractive characters and attractive players with a cool attitude to school. It was a game from the many creative forces behind the N64’s Golden‌, and was one of the best shooter franchises on the PS2.

There has been no other game in the franchise since 2005. The wait is long overdue for those hoping the series returns.

Spellforce 3: With the release of Fallen God, this hope was renewed. A vendor in the game sells several weird trinkets, one of which is a copy of the Times Splitter 2 remake. Some have interpreted this as a stealth announcement of the project. Embracer Group, the parent company of THQ Nordic, has a franchise, so this is not such a strange idea.

However, in a conversation Eurogamer, The item in the THQ Nordic game was played as a joke. A spokesman said: “This is just an innocent Easter egg. The vendor in the game is a character who is not particularly truthful. ”

Vendor also sells a canceled version of Biomutton, which is still in development.

Playing among long-suffering Times Splitters fans is a cruel joke, but perhaps hopeful. This is a strategy from THQ Nordic to quantify such remake interests. Or even if the intent is unprecedented, it can have a similar effect, encouraging rights holders to consider this new hope.

Rumors of a new Times Splitter game have been circulating since THQ acquired the Nordic rights. Last year it was said that Steve Ellis, the creator of the series, was there to plan and help the future of the franchise. The future is grim, but news of that future has yet to materialize.