Irrational Games
Irrational Games business and news from across the web.
Ken Levine says he had to leave Bioshock behind because 'things can own you if you hold them too tightly'Ken Levine reflects on his career and the decision to move on from the BioShock franchise after the closure of Irrational Games. He discusses how he felt he had nothing more to say in that world and the importance of challenging himself with new projects like Judas, which he notes shares DNA with BioShock but is also radically different.
Ken Levine says Steam Machine shows we're hitting 'diminishing returns' with bleeding-edge graphics tech—just look at BioShock to see why art is more importantKen Levine believes the industry is hitting diminishing returns with cutting-edge graphics technology, citing BioShock's enduring art style as more important than hyper-realism. He argues that strong art direction, rather than the latest tech, is key to creating visually striking games. Levine also mentioned that his current project, Judas, focuses on intensive narrative work rather than demanding CPU resources.
One of BioShock's directors has been questioning the point of one of its key systems: 'I don't care about…Jonathan Chey, co-founder of Irrational Games and director of BioShock, is exploring new design directions for immersive sims with his studio Blue Manchu's upcoming game, Godzone 6. He questions the necessity of certain systems in traditional immersive sims and believes that incorporating elements from roguelikes and deckbuilders, such as randomized choices and compressed replay cycles, can lead to more engaging and varied player experiences.
Immersive sim sickos rejoice: the makers of Void Bastards are creating their most choice-driven game to date in Godzone…Blue Manchu is developing Godzone 6, an immersive sim roguelike that offers players unprecedented choice in character customization and gameplay approaches. Director Jonathan Chey highlights the game's focus on emergent gameplay and player-driven solutions, drawing inspiration from classic immersive sims and deckbuilders. The studio plans to engage the community early through demos and beta testing.
Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick is as "deeply disappointed" as players at the absence of a new BioShockTake-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed deep disappointment regarding the prolonged development of the next BioShock game, acknowledging that the company has invested significant resources into exploring creative directions. While the project has faced challenges and potential creative resets, Zelnick is now more optimistic, stating that the team is committed to delivering a great experience rather than just a good one.