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Irrational Games shutting down, 2K takes over BioShock, KL in new 15 person DD studio
- Thread starter Quentyn
- Start date
While Nintendo seems to be very controlling, it also seems to be true that their jobs are extremely stable, particularly relative to western video game developer norms.
JacksUsername
Member
I really hope people are able to land on their feet; most of them will probably need to relocate to find work.
This is another blow to the game development scene in New England. First Harmonix went through their major recovery period after their EA dealings, everyone knows about the 38 Studios failure, and now Irrational is shutting down. There's still Demiurge, Rockstar New England, Turbine, and Harmonix around (plus all the small indies and startups), but it's sad to see one of the big-named studios go, especially with their portfolio of work.
Considering New England is home to MIT and Harvard, on top of many great art and design colleges like RISD and MassArt, it's a real shame that game development and investment hasn't taken off like it has in other parts of the country.
Well, if anyone from Irrational is reading this, thanks for the great products you've put out. They've been wonderfully entertaining and I really hope you get to bring your talents to new games and experiences.
This is another blow to the game development scene in New England. First Harmonix went through their major recovery period after their EA dealings, everyone knows about the 38 Studios failure, and now Irrational is shutting down. There's still Demiurge, Rockstar New England, Turbine, and Harmonix around (plus all the small indies and startups), but it's sad to see one of the big-named studios go, especially with their portfolio of work.
Considering New England is home to MIT and Harvard, on top of many great art and design colleges like RISD and MassArt, it's a real shame that game development and investment hasn't taken off like it has in other parts of the country.
Well, if anyone from Irrational is reading this, thanks for the great products you've put out. They've been wonderfully entertaining and I really hope you get to bring your talents to new games and experiences.
Because it's fucking Donkey Kong.
This so much.
I can't believe some people think that Levine just went "fuck it" and fired everybody for shits and giggles.
That guy designed Arcadia level from Bioshock one.
And yes, i always assumed working with Levine was a nightmare. There was an article on polygon (i know, i know) around Infinite release that said, that they were close to being done designing, modelling and mapping slums of Columbia that was looking like shacks built on each other, but one day Levine came to office and said that he realised that even poor people in Columbia would live in an big and glorious homes. All the work had to be scrapped and redone with a new direction.
I think those types of moments were numerous, since a lot of department leads were furious and left before shipping the game.
CambriaRising
Member
Read the whole tweet. Of course you are allowed to fire people, the issue is people being cool with all these people being out of jobs because the PR framed it as a creative restructuring.
BlackBuzzard
Banned
I don't care about the drama. It's gotta be hard to maintain authorial intent in games that require so much man power (consider the catch-all cacophony of GTAV's narrative). Ken Levine and the core group at Irrational helped create some of my favorite games in this past decade, so I'll keep an eye on him where ever he goes. It sucks to see Irrational go, but I'm glad to see them disband with a swan song like Bioshock Infinite instead of burning out like so many devs do.
Completely taken by surprise as everyone else. Honestly, at the moment and wit so little info, I'm also leaning to the side that this is just an awful decision. From 2K, Levine; Irrational whoever had their saying in this. Absolutely ridiculous. But I'm a complete outsider with zero knowledge of what happened behind closed doors and personal motivations behind this. Hope everyone falls on their feet on more soundly managed teams and a special well wish to Fartofwar. Hang in there!
Graphics Horse
Member
Do you think he told them the good news first or the bad news?
Borderlands did Infinitely better business.
Wow, that's ridiculous. Sad to hear all those people losing their jobs just because one person wants to go into a smaller direction. I don't understand why Ken couldn't just work on this smaller project in a sub-division of Irrational and let the others work and create their own project during this period. Irrational has so much talent and a rather large team that I don't understand why Ken wouldn't trust them to work on something on their own without his supervision as he goes off pursuing his next endeavor. Such a shame it came to this decision. I hope these people find something soon... maybe companies like Naughty Dog or SCE Santa Monica or Black Tusk or 343i are hiring.
You can't be serious.
I thought Retro confirmed that they WANTED to make a sequel. Or were they forced to say that?
BrokenIcarus
Member
Wow, my interest in 2K's games just completely left. All gone. 
Working on Nintendo properties is a ... bad thing?
Q
Queen of Hunting
Unconfirmed Member
Explains why Ron left earlier
Spehornoob
Member
The question really becomes whether games as a whole would be willing to buy smaller scale productions. We can talk about needing more efficient development all day, but unless we're willing to buy them (with the sacrifices a more efficient model would entail), it's useless. It doesn't matter how efficiently something is developed if everyone ditches it in favor of Call of Duty 20.
The bestselling games are generally AAA and represent big brands. I think this gen is going to be like the last one: plenty of flops but also plenty of AAA titles. Big games won't die out until at least another generation. Even independent games like Star Citizen are raking in millions from gamers and there's not even a gameplay demo yet
DevelopmentArrested
Banned
Aaw were you a Hero of the Web once?
jacksepticeye
Member
I guess I can give him kudos for his tenacity but that does sound rough as hell
what game they end up making is the least of their worries as long as they get a steady paycheck
jacksepticeye
Member
It's not really the firing but more the reasons behind doing so.
tamaster92
Member
o7 irrational. We hardly knew ye
thewhitehawk
Member
This is very saddening. I hope those wonderfully talented people that lose their jobs manage to land on their feet. I will gladly support any endeavors they initiate if they decide to make a new independent team, and I'm sure many other Irrational Games fans share the sentiment.
a lot of people have lost their jobs
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Is Deep Down disqualified because its f2p, or is it later on?
But, yeah. AAA disc-based games are endangered. Even Cliffy gets it.
Who knows? You can't take anything at face value. The tweet could be 100% correct or it could be from a butt hurt ex-employee, wanting to stick the boot in.
Open Source
Banned
Translation:
"2K is shutting us down because console gaming is dead, and we're going to spin it like we had a choice."
"2K is shutting us down because console gaming is dead, and we're going to spin it like we had a choice."
I suggest you read the OP again very carefully.
Damn, that's fucked. Why couldn't they just relocate them to other 2K studios? It didn't have to be this way.
Oh shit.
JetSetRadio
Banned
I have never been a fan of his recent work, but this is quite surprising.
lmao.
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