Ken Levine, founder of Irrational Games and one of the minds behind iconic games like System Shock, Bioshock, and Bioshock Infinite has announced that the studio will be shutting down. Levine states in a letter on the Irrational Games' website that he will be, "winding down Irrational Games as you know it. [he'll] be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two." All but fifteen members of the Irrational team will be joining Levine. This means that unfortunately, the other remaining members of the team will be laid off.
Levine did express his concerns for these employees however and explained that they will all receive financial support. He also went on to explain that they will be allowed to use the studio's resources to build their portfolios and that Take-Two will be hosting a recruiting day for employees who wish to interview for positions with third-party studios.
While it is unfortunate to see such a creative mind make a decision that feels so painful, I can understand. The Bioshock franchise was great but after Infinite, it felt like a conclusion. More Bioshock games would just feel superfluous or overplayed. I think Levine made the right decision do something new. I trust that even though he'll be working on smaller projects, that he'll create great narrative stories, just like he did with Bioshock. Levine listed some of his goals in the letter explaining that he wants to develop "highly replayable" games for hardcore gamers that will be delivered digitally. So it is clear he has a vision and I'm excited to see him fulfill it.
As for the other employees who are being laid off, it's great to see that they are being taken care of and being shown the respect and care they deserve. I wish the best for them as they were also a part in crafting truly unforgettable moments from some of my favorite games. What do you think; is Levine making a mistake, or are you excited to see what's next? The future of Bioshock is unclear still but it is possible that 2K Marin, the studio behind Bioshock 2 might pick it up. I honestly hope it's just left alone though, at least for now.
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