BioShock creator Irrational Games is shutting down

Good to see that they're at least trying to take care of the developers they're getting rid of...that and they're not truly shutting down as such - possibly a new name (sounds like he's keeping the same one though tbh), and a smaller team obviously, but it'll be mostly the same devs just working on a different title. By the sounds of it they'll still be working under Take-Two as well; and Bioshock will still be in the hands of a 2K developer too, even if it's different people (and hopefully Bioshock sequels will stop appearing in due time - they've been rather unimpressive in more recent times).

Almost just sounds like an internal reshuffling at Take-Two/2K that happens to focus around Irrational games to me - Irrational games is basically winding down (less workers, less hectic, and generally slower development), and maybe changing name, it's not really shutting down at all. Considering it started with quite a small team, you could even call it a return to their roots.

well thats......irrational.......

Let's build something half as memorable as Bioshock by shutting down the studio that created it. I don't like Ken Levine, nor the sequels to the original Bioshock.

what about bugthesda? when will they go down?

How irrational

Never cared about Bioshock but the last remnants of my hope for another SWAT game are dying fast.

What bollocks. Criterion is operating with only sixteen people, and hasn't Hello Games got around half a dozen? Since when was fifteen the magic number for closing a studio? Sort yourself out, Makuch.

It's still a shitty deal for those that are being let go. Got to admit I'd find it a bit weird having other studios come into my place of work and hand-pick anyone they'd like at their company. Sounds a bit like going to pick up a new puppy from the abandoned dogs home. Good luck to them though.

This is what creative people do, they move apart so that they can keep their creativity flowing. They form new partnerships in this case a new gaming company so that new ideas and freshly thought out games can see the light of day. At the end of it all, we gamers just want good games no matter who gives it to us at prices thought out by humans and not money machines. Good on you Kevin for keeping it real. I think he probably learnt something from Chris Roberts.

So the title "Irrational Games is shutting down" should read "Irrational Games is downsizing to make new game"

I've never been a fan of Bioshock games, they've always depressed the hell out of me (less so for Infinite). But a studio shutting down after releasing such successful games, now that's irrational.

Wow, thats upsetting. :(

That was a surprise. But what's with all the 'irrational' people here?

I suspect the closure has mostly to do with the expensive nature of developing AAA titles. The risk associated was probably too high--not that developing or publishing the Bioshock name is risky, it's not; it can't be. I assume they want to do something smaller in size, such that a team of 20 would pull off the same level of detail that a team of 200 could with an 'infinite' sized project.

The one thing I hate most about the gaming industry is the precarious nature of your position as a developer/employee: just when you think everything is fine, "we we're massively successful"--BAM, you're canned.

Well I guess he got tired of making big games. Everyone gets tired eventually.

That's a shame. Like it or hate it there's no denying the Bioshock series have left their mark on gaming. Looking forward to his future projects.

I appreciate his output, but does anyone else think Levine is an egomaniac? he's the Don Draper of the games world!

Like Bioshock wasn't enough story-driven already

That's a real disappointment. Bioshock and Infinite are the only 2 FPS's that ever managed to keep me engaged long enough past the start till I finish them, since I don't like first person view... Well, I hope his new project goes the way of Bathesda titles, that have both first and third person options.

I don't see the reason for all this hate....After all,they are Irrational Games.What else could you expect from them?

Don't ask for a justification.Levine will most probably testify saying,"We are Irrational.What else could you expect from us?"It's all in the name,folks.It's all in the name.

Narrative-driven???What the f'ck?Why doesn't Levine realize that Bioshock is itself a story heavy and narrative driven game.

How come everybody's jumping on the bandwagon saying Infinite sucks? It won numerous game of the year nominations and awards. People were saying what an awesome game it was not that long ago, but now it sucks?

I've never played the game, just going by how everyone praised the hell out of it last year and now act like it single handedly caused the demise of Irrational. People gotta start forming their own thoughts and stop following what others say.

I played the first two Bioshock games on day-1, but had little interest to play Infinite. I just got tired of the gameplay after the second game.

This is somewhat sad, especially for those losing their jobs. I am happy to see that Irrational is trying to do right by them though. It is more than can be said for most companies.

That said, I am looking forward to seeing what Levine does next. I know this will get me lambasted, but Infinite was the highlight of my video gaming last year (though granted I have not yet played The Last of Us) and one of my favorite gaming experiences, ever.

Maybe the game was too easy. I guess that complaint could be made. And I understand that if people went into the game expecting the nervous thrill felt the first (and for me at least, almost every) time you went up against a Big Daddy, the game could be a disappointment. But I enjoyed taking shots with my rifle goofing off with plasmids (oops, salts), and overall the gameplay experience was good enough. I don't usually play shooters, so problems with the controls are probably lost on me anyway. My only complaint was that the game tended to lock me out of exploration too quickly and unexpectedly (not counting the "you don't get to go back" moments). I would have liked more freedom to look around.

That said, Infinite still sticks with me, and maybe that is why I love it. While playing the game I genuinely care about everything going on. The scene with Booker playing guitar and Elizabeth singing still haunts me as I think about how their universe was about to crumble. Months after finishing it, I FEEL that game. It makes me sad that so many people have decided the game is crap. They are welcome to their opinion, and I am not going to argue with them. But reading those comments makes me at least want to get my own opinion out.

For me, the idea that Levine will have the opportunity to make the game he wants is exciting. I hope the story sucks me in and leaves an impression the way that Infinite did.

Levine definitley has a good imagination, and I wish him the best in whatever future endeavors he pursues, but I personally thought the first and third Bioshock games were interesting as concepts, but utterly banal as video games. I'd actually like to see him get into film or books, but thats just me.