'BioShock' studio Irrational Games shutting down

[ChronoGrl]

The studio behind first-person shooter classic BioShock is closing its doors.

Boston-based Irrational Games will shut down after 17 years, co-founder Ken Levine revealed in a statement on the studio's website. The company was responsible for the 2007 hit BioShock and 2013 follow-up BioShock Infinite, both of which were among the best video games of their respective years.

"It's been the defining project of my professional life," Levine wrote of Irrational Games, which was founded in 1997.

Levine says he will retain 15 members of the Irrational team for a new project with Take-Two Interactive, the video game publisher that launched the BioShock series through its 2K label.

Levine says the new endeavor will involved "highly replayable" narrative-driven video games for the core player.

"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," says Levine. "In many ways, it will be a return to how we started: a small team making games for the core gaming audience."

Levine says the BioShock franchise netted more than a half-billion dollars in revenue since launching in 2007 for PC and the Xbox 360 (a PS3 version was released a year later).

2K will maintain the rights of the BioShock franchise.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/g...games/5580937/


Some people mourn celebrities passing. Me, I mourn my favorite game studio shutting down. I'd like to say that I'm joking but I'm actually sad about this. It's been an abstract dream of mine to work for Irrational one day (I live about an hour away). And, regardless of how ridiculous that silly dream was, I'm sad that I won't have a chance.

[The Villain]

I love the Bioshock games. If they make more I hope they dont ruin them now that Irrational isn't involved. They probably will.

[Despare]

As we're flooded with the latest sequel in FPS franchises that push the "multiplayer experience" over everything else, to the point of not including a single player story, we're witnessing the loss of narrative in videogames. The niche titles will always be around and I'm sure we'll have some revival here and there but right now everybody's all about the next CoD, Kilzone, or Battlefield then a great story driven experience. My big question is: Who owns the license to System Shock? I'd give $60+ to a kickstarter for a new System Shock game...

[cheebacheeba]

Yknow what ruined the game?
The cookie cutter sequel, and the cop-out ending of the third one.

[Vodstok]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/g...games/5580937/


Some people mourn celebrities passing. Me, I mourn my favorite game studio shutting down. I'd like to say that I'm joking but I'm actually sad about this. It's been an abstract dream of mine to work for Irrational one day (I live about an hour away). And, regardless of how ridiculous that silly dream was, I'm sad that I won't have a chance.

Right there with you. I also live about an hour north and it has always been in the back of my head that I would love to work for them. Being a writer and a developer, I could have gone far.

At least Ken Levine is a good bastard and is doing everything he can to get the laid-off workers new jobs.

[cheebacheeba]

'Sup mannnnn?

[Vodstok]

Originally Posted by cheebacheeba

'Sup mannnnn?

Not much, how're you :)


Also, Infinite was an kick-ass game. The end made me bawl like a baby (I have a little girl, don't judge me)

[cheebacheeba]

All good man, bit more work and on the way to joining the parents club m'self.
Hm, thread around here someplace.

I didn't mind infinite. I probably preferred the original, I won't mention the cookie cutter sequel.
Ending was both inspired and a little bit of a cop-out at the same time.
All and all though, stunning looking game that was fun to play through.

[ChronoGrl]

Vod - Good point about Ken Levine... And I loved Infinite and bawled at the end too.