Bioshock: Infinite

[Sephiroth1089]

Its a prototype. They usually have the figures larger and scale them down to the proper size.

 

[Sachiel]

Irrational Games is Restructuring

A Message From Ken Levine

When Jon Chey, Rob Fermier and I founded Irrational Games seventeen years ago, our mission was to make visually unique worlds and populate them with singular characters.

We built Rapture and Columbia, the Von Braun and The Rickenbacker, the Freedom Fortress and some of the nastiest basements a SWAT team ever set foot into. We created Booker and Elizabeth, the Big Daddy and the Little Sister, MidWives and ManBot. In that time, Irrational has grown larger and more successful than we could have conceived when we began our three-person studio in a living room in Cambridge, MA. It’s been the defining project of my professional life.

Now Irrational Games is about to roll out the last DLC for BioShock Infinite and people are understandably asking: What’s next?

Seventeen years is a long time to do any job, even the best one. And working with the incredible team at Irrational Games is indeed the best job I’ve ever had. 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. 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.

I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it. I’ll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two. That is going to mean parting ways with all but about fifteen members of the Irrational team. There’s no great way to lay people off, and our first concern is to make sure that the people who are leaving have as much support as we can give them during this transition.

Besides financial support, the staff will have access to the studio for a period of time to say their goodbyes and put together their portfolios. Other Take-Two studios will be on hand to discuss opportunities within the company, and we’ll be hosting a recruiting day where we’ll be giving 3rd party studios and publishers a chance to hold interviews with departing Irrational staff.*

What’s next?

In time we will announce a new endeavor with a new goal: 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.

When I first contemplated what I wanted to do, it became very clear to me that we were going to need a long period of design. Initially, I thought the only way to build this venture was with a classical startup model, a risk I was prepared to take. But when I talked to Take-Two about the idea, they convinced me that there was no better place to pursue this new chapter than within their walls. After all, they’re the ones who believed in and supported BioShock in the first place.

Thanks to Irrational and 2K’s passion in developing the games, and the fans who believe in it, BioShock has generated retail revenues of over a half billion dollars and secured an iconic place in gaming. I’m handing the reins of our creation, the BioShock universe, to 2K so our new venture can focus entirely on replayable narrative. If we’re lucky, we’ll build something half as memorable as BioShock.

 

[Fritz]

That's too bad. I wonder if they'll sell Bioshock to another studio?

 

[Deckard]

Terrible, terrible news.

RIP Bioshock. It will never go that good again.

 

[RagingBull]

That's too bad. I wonder if they'll sell Bioshock to another studio?

BioShock 'handed' to 2K as Ken Levine starts smaller studio

https://www.computerandvideogames.com/450117/bioshock-dev-irrational-games-to-close/

 

[Deckard]

BioShock 'handed' to 2K as Ken Levine starts smaller studio

https://www.computerandvideogames.com/450117/bioshock-dev-irrational-games-to-close/

Yea basically the way I read is this Ken Levine is tired of Bioshock and wants nothing more to do with it but knows theres a ton of money to be made. So 2k will still make Bioshock games and Ken still owns it and the profits but won't ever actually write another.

Like I said, terrible news. The writing made Infinite what it was. Without it it would have been incredibly mediocre. All we'll ever get now are more Bioshock 2s.

 

[Bardoon]

Ok, I'm going to play devil's advocate but this sounds a little like a douchebaggy move by Levine. Essentially he's taking fifteen people he probably hand-selected and firing the rest. It's cool that he wants to go off and do something new and different, but couldn't he just negotiated that with Take-Two considering they're still funding his new little "pet project" here?

 

[Dylan]

Yeah I cant help but feel for the development team here. He basically said thanks for the hard work on Infinite now get out of here. I would hate for my lively hood to be in jeopardy because my Boss wanted to go on some creative venture.

 

[Moonloop]

Couldn't Mr. Levine just left Irrational games, have that team handed off to 2K, and start his own studio?

That's sound like it's what he did, question is, did 2K not want to inherit Irrational and laid them off? Even if that's the case, it still boils downs to Ken leaving irrational causing the layoffs. But both Ken and 2K may be responsible for the lay offs.

If 2K is inheriting the Bioshock franchise, why didn't they keep the Irrational team and ask them to develop the next Bioshock?

I do feel for the employees at Irrational. They did fantastic work on a very successful, well selling, game....and now they lose their jobs. I hope they all find a new home soon, I'm sure other studios will be more than happy to add them to their teams.

 

[Solidus]

If we’re lucky, we’ll build something half as memorable as BioShock.

Ouch... and here I was looking forward to an even greater chapter of Bioshock down the line.

 

[Sephiroth1089]

I wonder what this means for NECA and their current Bioshock line.

 

[Sachiel]

Nothing.

 

[Fritz]

I'm ok with that. I know Bioshock 2 gets a bad rap but I didn't mind it even though I barely touched the Multiplayer.

 

[venjo]

what a sad news love the bioshock series but the last one infinite is a flop for real.

 

[Sachiel]

 

[Fritz]

what a sad news love the bioshock series but the last one infinite is a flop for real.

Are you saying you enjoyed Bioshock 1 & 2 but Infinite wasn't good?

If not please ignore what follows but if that is what you're saying, I have this for you...

 

[ironwez20]

what a sad news love the bioshock series but the last one infinite is a flop for real.

How did it flop? I thought it did really well. Wasnt it like third best game of 2013 behind gtav and TLOU?

 

[SwedishHeat]

Randy is already not saying anything about Booker's release, just that he was at TF to gauge interest.

Definitely not a good sign.

 

[Fritz]

SOURCE - Irrational Games

Announcing 1998 Mode
by IG.J on February 27 2014

Many of our fans are familiar with 1999 Mode, which shipped as the hardest difficulty mode in BioShock Infinite. If you wanted to jump directly into 1999 Mode, the development team even included a special code allowing for early access (Hint: Konami Code).

Today, in conjunction with the upcoming DLC, BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two releasing March 25th, we’re revealing the brand new 1998 Mode, which challenges gamers to complete the narrative using only non-lethal tools. This mode will be in addition to existing difficulty modes, and the aforementioned 1999 Mode.

“In Burial at Sea – Episode Two we put a focus on balance and stealth mechanics,” said Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games. “As we were developing this new style of gameplay, we started to see people self-impose non-lethal playthrough’s. Given the fan reception of 1999 Mode, we thought it would be cool to give them another way to play Burial at Sea that challenged their mastery of stealth tools.”

We look forward to seeing our fans attempt to conquer 1998 Mode in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two, utilizing the new stealth-oriented gameplay as you take on the role of Elizabeth, and see the world through her eyes. Don’t forget about the Season Pass, allowing you to get the DLC packs at a significant discount.

 

[cokebabies]

I guess it makes sense for Elizabeth to be a bit more stealthy. I'll definitely be doing 1998 at some point.