IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Immersive sims are some of the best video game out there: System Shock, Bioshock, Thief, Dishonored, and a ton of others like “best PC game of all time” Deus Ex. Immersive sims come from a small family of game developers, most of which stemmed from Origin Systems or Looking Glass/Irrational games under the direction of gaming icons such as Warren Spector, Ken Levine, and Raphael Colontiano. Nearly all subsequent studios can trace their staff back to these studios and creators which is absolutely surreal.
Despite being a category of games that have a penchant for sweeping game awards shows and being nothing less than Iconic (we are still making Deus Ex memes nearly 20 years since it came out, aren’t we?) the immersive sim has had some rough patches and creating them is a long, hard process that can eat studios alive. Just look at what happened to poor Troika Games when they made Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. Most studios that make immersive sims tend to fold on themselves but the devs that make them always get back together to make more great games.
So what will become of Immersive Sims and the future of great games? Well, while the last few years haven’t been kind with the Deus Ex sequel cancelled, the system shock reboot rebooted, and the promising Atomic Heart being locked in turmoil, the future is full of hope. Within the next couple years we’re getting Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, System Shock 3, Bioshock 3 (or is it Bioshock 4? Game series naming conventions can get weird), and whatever the heck Ken Levine has been working on for the last 6 years. The only way for us to know is to stay tune, and play the games.
The History Of Immersive Sims | Part One
Immersive Sims are a special breed of video game that tries to simulate life or a profession in unique and engaging ways. In this two-part essay, I will be exploring the history of this ever-evolving genre of games.
The History Of Immersive Sims | Part Two | Arkane Studios