GamerZines writes:
Yesterday enigmatic games creator Ken Levine told the world that he and 2K Games have decided to shut down Irrational Games, a studio which he himself helped form 17 years ago.
Understandably there’s a lot of confusion out there about why such a successful studio is being put down in its prime and this article is about examining and accentuating just how odd this whole affair really is and what if anything we can gleam from this sad event.
IGN: "We spent six hours playing a recent build of Judas, the next game from BioShock creator Ken Levine, followed by a lengthy conversation with the renowned game designer to discuss the long wait since BioShock Infinite, bringing the "narrative LEGOs" concept to life in Judas, what the game is all about, and much more."
YT video : https://youtu.be/aIqmnoo8Ui...
with new gameplay segments
I’m tentatively hopeful for this. Love Bioshock. As far as the narrative Legos we shall have to wait and see. The early trailer for Infinite showed off a lot of stuff that didn’t make it into the finished product, and Levine is notoriously difficult to work for, so if this narrative stuff makes it into the came will be curious to see how impactful it is. I’d be fine with something more in the vein of the first Bioshock. Not much like that now, especially since Arkane’s fall from grace.
I didn’t realize Levine’s new studio was under 2K Games just like Irrational was. What was the point quitting Irrational and then 2K dissolving the studio only for him to open up a smaller studio still under 2K? Why not just downsize Irrational, keep operations going and have the brand recognition. Cuz it’s not like Judas is a departure from his normal style. Must be a story there
Cloud Chamber, under 2K, is the new studio developing the next Bioshock (4?) game.
I imagine he had a negative experience building Bioshock Infinite, due to the pressure on the team. As you pointed out in your other comment, lots from that game was cut out or changed before release. I suspect he wanted the opportunity to step back and create a game in a timescale that allowed him to deliver the product he wanted.
Irrational may have also been locked into certain contracts under 2K, and opening a new studio may have allowed him to negotiate new terms.
The help desk platform used by 2K Games for its customer support has been hacked, with malicious emails sent to certain players.
I was one of those users that got an email. Good thing I didn't open it. The email is from actual 2k support so I'm sure many people opened them. Scary stuff Take Two. You guys should invest some of your billions of dollars into some advancements for network security. I wonder who's getting hacked next at Take Two. First GTA 6 and now this.
DualShockers Writes "One of the most important shooters of all time, BioShock, has turned 15. Playing it today, it doesn’t feel like a 15-year-old game, and I realise that’s in large part because so few games have attempted to really follow in its footsteps. It’s a predecessor to certain genres that would come later – like the ‘walking sim’ – and it was the first blockbuster game that showed the medium to be capable of seriously exploring some high-minded ideas, but that mix of emergent gameplay, eccentricity, and worldbuilding where you piece together the story of a fallen city through desecrated rooms, meticulously positioned corpses, and brilliantly delivered audio diaries hasn’t quite been repeated."
I kind of wonder if Ken Levine had a big role in this decision. That dude's kind of a wierdo like that...
How was Irrational profitable though? 2 games in 6yrs doesn't sound very profitable to me.
There is a piece on NeoGAF that shows 2K were going to close down Irrational Games anyway, all Ken did was hasten the demise.
Also, as a comparison.. in 6yrs Naughty Dog released Uncharted 1-3 & The Last of Us.
A real zinger of a title there!