Goro Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) Irrational Games, the studio that makes BioShock, is shutting down. BioShock creator Ken Levine said today that he plans to move on to smaller, narrative-heavy games that will be released digitally. Levine, who ran Irrational, announced the news on the Irrational Games website today, noting that he'll be starting "a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two" and laying off all but 15 people. "While I'm deeply proud of what we've accomplished together, my passion has turned to making a different kind of game than we've done before," Levine wrote. "To meet the challenge ahead, I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more direct relationship with gamers. In many ways, it will be a return to how we started: a small team making games for the core gaming audience." The troubled development of BioShock Infinite was no secret—Levine's latest game was an expensive production, affected by multiple delays and scrapped features, which might explain his new focus. Levine's new goal, as he wrote today: "To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable. To foster the most direct relationship with our fans possible, we will focus exclusively on content delivered digitally." Irrational's final project will be part 2 of the BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea downloadable content,which is out next month. Via Kotaku Edited February 18, 2014 by Goro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaSoOoN-MHD Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 So BioShock's dead, or someone else is gonna get hold of the franchise. That's not...nice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goro Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 So BioShock's dead, or someone else is gonna get hold of the franchise. That's not...nice. 2K will take BioShock over and the series will likely continue but under a different developer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb8gem9 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Whoa! Unexpected; wonder where this will lead future BioShock titles as im sure Take-Two may want to continue on with the franchise. One of the main criticisms of BioShock (more specifically BioShock Infinite) has been the disconnect between its combat mechanics and the narrative, it wasn't bad per say, actually quite fun at times, but it also felt forced and unnecessary in many instances. With that considered, i think it's good that Ken Levine will be able to focus on more narrative-heavy experiences as he puts it rather than being held to the conventional first-person shooter standards expected of a huge triple-A game such a BioShock. Hope all those laid-off employees find work elsewhere though, they certainly have the talent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post HaSoOoN-MHD Posted February 18, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 18, 2014 I don't think anyone other than Levine will really be able to deliver that BioShock experience, so it should just be left for dead. IMO with this news or without it, I don't think they should continue off of Infinite, that was a fantastic send off for the franchise. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREDRAG-K Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wow that's unexpected. I just hope they end BioShock with Infinite, no need to continue it now. I don't want to see the series get extended if Levine isn't working on it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Well, there hoes all my hopes for BioShock Vita... I wish him well though and hope all the employees getting laid of have no trouble getting new jobs. Parker 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goekie Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thank you Mr. Levine for all the wonderful games you gave us I wonder what project he is going to undertake next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Incredible Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 bioshock vita is out the window now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omar Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wow, I would've never said this would happen......I hope the Bioshock franchise keeps moving forward, I haven't played the games, but everyone seems to love them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Mayus Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YTPerfectParadox Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 dont have the time to read through everything but incase it hasnt been said yet: i believe its actually just 'winding down' to a smaller team not shutting down.Source: http://www.playstationtrophies.org/news/news-12341-Ken-Levine-Winding-Down-Irrational-Games-Following-Final-BioShock-Infinite-DLC.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuffyZorugelion Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 FUAAAAAAAAAAARRRRKKKKK... I like what hes saying, but whats gonna happen to Bioshock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memnoch Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 So maybe a game that will stop before it becomes a joke - this isnt necessarily a bad thing, except for people losing jobs of course - although they seem pretty qualified 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daftprophet Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 What an ass. Letting go all of all but 15 people so he can make smaller, digitally based games? I hope those people can either A. Create an awesome company/team and move forward or B. Find another company to work for. Sucks hard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goro Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 dont have the time to read through everything but incase it hasnt been said yet: i believe its actually just 'winding down' to a smaller team not shutting down. Source: http://www.playstationtrophies.org/news/news-12341-Ken-Levine-Winding-Down-Irrational-Games-Following-Final-BioShock-Infinite-DLC.html I believe he is laying off all but 15 people, renaming the studio and focusing on indie games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lporiginalg Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 This doesn't suprise me at all. Bioshock Inifinite was obviously an expensive game to make, anybody who played it should be able to tell that, and it sort of bombed in sales. What an ass. Letting go all of all but 15 people so he can make smaller, digitally based games? That's a bit unfair isn't it? There's no reason to assume this is actually what he wanted. This is probably a result of BI not selling well, plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkthur Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 bioshock vita is out the window now. It's up to 2K now, if they want the money, they can make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartan Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 When I first heard about this, I was pretty sad because I really enjoy the BioShock series, but if he takes the new studio in a direction like Tell-Tale games went with TWD/TWAM, it should be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daftprophet Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 This doesn't suprise me at all. Bioshock Inifinite was obviously an expensive game to make, anybody who played it should be able to tell that, and it sort of bombed in sales. That's a bit unfair isn't it? There's no reason to assume this is actually what he wanted. This is probably a result of BI not selling well, plain and simple. No doubt, it is harsh. I'm just weighing in on my opinion. I would be rightly peeved if I lost a stellar job working on stellar games. Plus...DIGITAL *shudders* That and BI was expensive, but there were so many people that busted a nut over it so I don't understand how it didn't do well in sales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurvivorBlues Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Ken Levine is one of those people I trust with everything, Bioshock ended on a really high and smaller digital titles probably means more creative games and IP's so I'm actually more exited by this news then that another Bioshock was anounced. It's a shame though for those employes but they will get hired again in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Cutscene Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) Having Irrational Games liste don your CV isnt exactly going to send you onto the poverty lines your career is highly likely to live on in other companies who will be waiting to snap up those unfortunate souls who get laid off. Edited February 18, 2014 by Captain_Cutscene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawazc98 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExHaseo Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I've just lost all respect for Ken Levine. He always seemed like kind of a douche, but he made good games so it was whatever. However, now he's laying off hundreds of people just because he wants to make smaller games. It's not a huge deal that he wants to make smaller games, but he should have done what countless developers before him did, and just step down and let someone else run the company. Then move on to make whatever they want. But no, Ken decided that it was a better idea to put hundreds of people out of work even though they've all been doing a good job. I definitely won't be buying any game made by him, because I simply can't support such a selfish decision. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xVolloxx Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) This sucks it really does but nothing can be done . Edited February 18, 2014 by TheVolloxx- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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