Irrational Games Shock Shutdown

Irrational Games, creator of the Bioshock series, is closing down. This was the surprise announcement made by Ken Levine, co-founder of the company, on February 18. Levine stated that he would be taking 15 members of the team with him to Take-Two, where he plans to start a smaller studio focused on making games with a “replayable narrative” and “a more direct relationship with gamers.” The closure will take place after the release of the new Bioshock Infinite DLC.

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This news has come as a shock to much of the gaming community. Irrational Games was hardly a floundering company – in fact, they have been doing exceptionally well as of late – the most recent example being Bioshock Infinite, which has been heralded as something of a masterpiece, and has gone on to win numerous awards and receive critical acclaim from gamers and critics alike. So why, then, are the developers closing their doors? Ken Levine, in an open letter posted on Irrational Games’ website, explains his decision:

“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.”

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It can’t be easy for Levine to walk away from such a successful company. Since Irrational Games’ inception in 1997 as a three-man studio working out of a living room in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the developer has grown strongly. Their first title, System Shock 2, is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time. More recently, the Bioshock series blended innovative FPS mechanics with thoughtful narrative to become a best seller. The number of staff employed by Irrational Games has increased from the original three to what was reckoned to be in the region of 200 people during the production of Bioshock Infinite.

Given this expansion and the following acclaim they have amassed, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to shamelessly milk their flagship Bioshock franchise by releasing yearly rehashed versions. That’s certainly the route that some developers have taken, so I think it’s commendable that Levine has ignored this option in order to make the games he wants to make.

Exactly what kind of the games these will be is unclear at the moment; phrases like “narrative-driven” and “highly replayable” are being thrown around, a smaller team obviously implies smaller scale indie-like games, and Levine confirms that all content will be delivered digitally, but beyond that is anyone’s guess. Levine ends his letter with the hope that, “If we’re lucky, we’ll build something half as memorable as Bioshock.”

But of course, the closure isn’t good news for everybody, particularly the staff who are soon to be unemployed by this move. Ken addressed this concern, stating: “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.” He goes on to assure us that the staff will be given a period of time at the studio to put together their portfolios, and they will be helped to find new jobs both within and outside of Take-Two before their departure.

This isn’t necessarily the end of Rapture and Columbus though – after the release of the upcoming Bioshock Infinite DLC, Buried at Sea Episode 2 (due for release on March 25), the control of the Bioshock universe will be handed over to the publisher 2K Games (Borderlands, Civilization V), who could propel the franchise in an entirely new direction.

The closure of the studio is a great shame; a very talented group of people have been disbanded, but it has given rise to the possibility of some exciting new games, from both 2K and Levine’s team, in the years ahead.

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