Joystiq

Irrational's Levine, BioWare's Gaider, and Obsidian's Avellone on why story matters in games

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:15:00 EST

I grew up reading and loving fiction. As I've aged and taken up a profession in journalism, I've erred on the side of nonfiction. And these days, most of my storytelling experiences come from film, television, and video games. But I'd be lying if I said that many of those story experiences - especially in the gaming medium - left the same impression on me as the works of Marquez or Vonnegut.

In late summer 2007, I played BioShock, and my tune began to change. Six months later, I played Mass Effect, and my stance on games as storytelling devices was altered even further. Somewhere along the line, between Jill sandwiches and lost princesses, game devs started implementing stories that I actually cared about.

Fast-forward to 2011, and the concept of games as storytelling devices is more accepted than ever. But games haven't changed - they're still mechanically driven constructs, and they still allow player agency to run all over what the game dev set out for you to experience. I found myself having conversations with Kotaku's Jason Schreier over the course of the past year about this seeming duality within games. We felt it was time for a proper discussion.

Enter: "Plot vs. Play: The Duality of Modern Game Design," the panel Schreier and I hosted at PAX East. Our idea was to gather several game developers who've tackled this duality head on, and have them discuss their individual approaches to navigating that issue. Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine, Obsidian Entertainment creative director Chris Avellone, and BioWare lead writer David Gaider were our first team of game devs to take up the challenge - something we hope to continue at future PAXes - and they did a great job.

In our rush to prepare for both the panel and that weekend's coverage plans at our respective outlets, neither Jason nor myself thought to set up a video camera to catch the event on tape. Thankfully, Mash Those Buttons captured the whole hour and put it up on YouTube, which I've dropped above.

Let us know what you think, and please suggest any devs you'd like to see play a part in future versions of "Plot vs Play." We're open to ideas!

Irrational's Levine, BioWare's Gaider, and Obsidian's Avellone on why story matters in games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An Irrational fear of monsters

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST

"A good monster is a monster you can imagine in repose."

That was the advice acclaimed horror writer and director Guillermo del Toro gave Ken Levine, the creator of the BioShock franchise, during a conversation on the Irrational Games podcast. Levine takes those words to heart in his own creative direction, and before building any terrifying monsters, he makes sure Irrational develops a rich, empathetic backstory that places each of the deformed, viciously homicidal creatures in routine settings, where they perform the most base of actions: contributing to society, petting a dog, relaxing, mourning.

Four Irrational members - Levine, art director Nate Wells, lead artist Shawn Robertson, and sound man Pat Balthrop - gave the PAX audience a glimpse into the secret lives and creation of five major BioShock Infinite villains: the Motorized Patriot, Handyman, Siren, Boys of Silence and Songbird.

Continue reading An Irrational fear of monsters

An Irrational fear of monsters originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine wants to show you BioShock on Vita, not talk about it

Xav de Matos — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

"It's something completely different that we're crafting," Irrational Games boss Ken Levine tells me as I press him for details on BioShock for the PlayStation Vita. Levine revealed during Sony's media briefing at E3 2011 (pictured) that the new handheld would be home to a unique experience set in the BioShock universe.

"It's not BioShock Infinite ported to the Vita," he reiterates.

Moments earlier, Levine highlighted a point of frustration that comes with making announcements. While happy to discuss BioShock Infinite's October 16 release date, his Twitter feed immediately filled with questions about the "next thing, or the 'Collector's Edition,' or the Vita game." And here I am, falling into the same trap as his Twitter followers -- asking new questions when old ones are answered.

When might we hear more about the portable experience? "Look," he says with an emerging laugh in his voice, "we're working on it. We're trying to figure that [announcement timing] out. I ideally wouldn't have talked about the Vita game when I did. It was understandably important that, you know, Sony wanted us to share that information."

Continue reading Levine wants to show you BioShock on Vita, not talk about it

Levine wants to show you BioShock on Vita, not talk about it originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Introducing BioShock Infinite's second heavy hitter: George Washington with a mini-gun

Xav de Matos — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST

There's a new breed of baddie coming to BioShock Infinite. Dubbed the "Heavy Hitters," these menacing foes are another in a long line of defense against Booker DeWitt, protagonist and trespasser in the floating city of Columbia.

The 'Motorized Patriot' is a machine that wields a mini-gun and dons a horrifying wax mask, modeled after George Washington. Unlike the residents of Columbia, Heavy Hitters are relentless in their attack, and don't hesitate.

"We perceived a lack of variety in the enemies in BioShock," Irrational Games boss Ken Levine tells me over the phone. "There tend to be a lot of Splicers with weapons -- that was the primary thing you dealt with -- or there were a couple of them with plasmids. And then you had the Big Daddies. We really wanted to broaden out the pool [for BioShock Infinite]."

A total of four 'Heavy Hitters' are featured in BioShock Infinite. The hunkering, horse-throwing beast from the original gameplay trailer -- dubbed 'The Handyman' -- is another. Each has unique characteristics, and each ask for different tactics if you hope to defeat them.

Irrational's intent isn't for Heavy Hitters be the 'Infinite versions' of BioShock's iconic Big Daddy, Levine says. It was a matter of expanding the variety of enemies for players.

"We're not trying to recreate anything 'note-for-note.' If I have a C-Sharp in BioShock, I'm not really looking to necessarily have a C-Sharp in BioShock Infinite," Levine explains before apologizing for being "a music nerd."

"I want the kind of vibe to feel the same and the piece to feel like they're connected." There are "a ton of things" that connect the two games, he says, but only because the team feels their inclusion "organically worked" in BioShock Infinite. Irrational doesn't want to fall into the trap of feeling forced to add something to its next game, simply because it was prevalent in the first one in the series.

BioShock Infinite launches for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on October 16.

Introducing BioShock Infinite's second heavy hitter: George Washington with a mini-gun originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioShock Infinite to include tougher '1999 Mode'

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

BioShock Infinite is gonna hurt you like it's 1999. Developer Irrational Games announced the "1999 Mode" for the upcoming RPG slash FPS this morning, and it appears to go beyond just messing with health stats for a more challenging game experience.

"I'm an old school gamer. We wanted to make sure we were taking into account the play styles of gamers like me," said Irrational's creative director Ken Levine. "So we went straight to the horse's mouth by asking them, on our website, a series of questions about how they play our games."

Levine continued, "94.6 percent of respondents indicated that upgrade choices enhanced their BioShock gameplay experience; however, 56.8 percent indicated that being required to make permanent decisions about their character would have made the game even better."

The 1999 Mode will include unnamed tweaks and features that won't exist in the standard BioSchock Infinite experience. It will also "feature demanding weapon, power, and health management," along with a "Game Over" screen if the player lacks the resources for a respawn. The company is unlikely to cover incidental damages to property caused by playing 1999 Mode.

For a look at a roughed up version of Elizabeth from the newly revealed mode, head past the jump.

Continue reading BioShock Infinite to include tougher '1999 Mode'

BioShock Infinite to include tougher '1999 Mode' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine gets dramatic when writing, directing for BioShock: Infinite

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

Irrational Games' Ken Levine writes video games through the lens of a playwright and stage director, having penned plays since the age of 14 and majoring in drama in college. This perspective on storytelling helped him write the audio logs in BioShock, and it's shaping the way he directs the voice actors -- in person for the first time -- in BioShock: Infinite, Levine told Gamasutra.

Writing Elizabeth and Booker, Infinite's main characters, was a completely different process than writing BioShock's antagonist, Andrew Ryan, Levine said. "I always had Ayn Rand in my ear while I was writing him, and she is quite articulate in her viewpoints. So he was a pretty easy character to write, for me," Levine said.

"Booker and Elizabeth, because there's a very different constraint set, because I haven't done this kind of writing for a game before, where you sort of have all this dynamism with a character you're walking around the world with, that you're speaking to, as Booker... just the mechanics of it!"

Levine said he was inspired by the easy banter Naughty Dog placed in Uncharted, and he saw how it could transfer to a period piece. As he describes them, Levine's characters are unique to their time period and his own imagination: "Elizabeth is a person who sees nothing and wants to see everything, and Booker is somebody who's seen everything and wants to see nothing. They're at opposite ends of the spectrum."

The full (and long) interview is here, if you're interested in details about how Levine makes women weep.

Levine gets dramatic when writing, directing for BioShock: Infinite originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2K Australia is 2K Australia again and is working on BioShock Infinite, Levine confirms

Christopher Grant — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST

So we don't run the risk of burying the lede, let's start with the news: MVC Pacific reports that the Canberra, Australia-based arm of developer 2K Marin is once again known as 2K Australia and is now working with former sister studio Irrational Games on BioShock Infinite. When asked for comment, Irrational boss man Ken Levine said, "We had a number of open positions on BioShock Infinite. When we found out our former sister studio 2K Australia was becoming available, we thought they would perfectly fill those roles."

He added, "If every decision was this easy..."

Now, some history. In 2007, after Irrational Games was purchased by Take-Two and just before the release of the original BioShock, the studio was split apart and renamed 2K Boston and 2K Australia. Since then, 2K Boston has become Irrational Games, once again, but 2K Australia hasn't had it so easy.

After working with 2K Marin on BioShock 2, it was decided that 2K Australia would lose its name and become a part of 2K Marin (which is a tad geographically misleading, no?) and help develop the XCOM reboot. Less than a year later, the 2K Australia studio head Martin Slater resigned and just last month it was reported that 15 employees were cut from the studio.

And now, over four years after the creation of 2K Australia, 2K Australia is back and once again working with Levine's team in Boston. We've reached out to 2K Games for any additional commentary on the shuffle and whether or not 2K Australia has any more involvement in XCOM. But while we're waiting, we wanted to say "welcome back" to the team in Canberra. Oh, and enough navel gazing. BioShock Infinite isn't going to make itself.

2K Australia is 2K Australia again and is working on BioShock Infinite, Levine confirms originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine: BioShock Infinite won't favor close-range weapons, Objectivism

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST

Ken Levine and the team at Irrational Games are switching things up for BioShock Infinite -- instead of being based on the Objectivist society of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Infinite is aiming for more of an Erik Larson's Devil in the White City feel, with a focus on physics rather than gene splicing. Irrational is also switching up some of the most recognizable gameplay from the first two BioShock games, namely the ability to beat them almost entirely with the shotgun and Electro Bolt, Levine told PlayStation.Blog.

"One of the first things we did when we started on BioShock Infinite was to draw a graph with y and z axes, and to say that one of those axes was the number of enemies in an encounter and the other was the range of those enemies," Levine said. "In the original BioShock, the entire game lived in one corner of that graph - few enemies, all at close range - so the Electro Bolt and shotgun were perfect. BioShock Infinite is going to have much greater ranges and, potentially, far more enemies, so we're greatly increasing the spectrum of encounters that are possible, and that requires the player use a broader set of tools."

That sounds like a challenge if we've ever heard one. You're on, Levine. You're on.

Levine: BioShock Infinite won't favor close-range weapons, Objectivism originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going even deeper into BioShock Infinite's voice acting

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST

Last week we brought you the first half of a two part feature with Irrational Games head Ken Levine coaching BioShock Infinite's two main voice actors. This week, we've got Booker (Troy Baker) yelling at Elizabeth (Courtnee Draper) to elicit emotion-filled lines. Next week? Tigers.

Going even deeper into BioShock Infinite's voice acting originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine and Guillermo del Toro talk films, monsters, and narrative on latest Irrational Interviews

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST

We've got a perfect excuse for you to once again don that Big Daddy costume from Halloween of aught seven: a podcast. Wait, wait, hear us out -- the podcast is Irrational Games' own "Irrational Interviews," and stars none other than BioShock and BioShock Infinite creative lead Ken Levine. Oh, also, it's totally Halloween again, so you probably need a costume anyway.

Furthermore, Mr. Levine's speaking with film director slash game developer Guillermo del Toro -- behind films such as Pan's Labyrinth and Blade 2, and heading up creative duties on THQ's inSane -- and it's just the first half of a two-parter. If it were ever a good day to hear two creative virtuosos wax philosophical about making scary monsters, today is that day.

Ken Levine and Guillermo del Toro talk films, monsters, and narrative on latest Irrational Interviews originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine: Occupy Wall Street and tea party mirror revolution in BioShock Infinite

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:55:00 EST

Irrational Games' creative frontman Ken Levine started Occupy Wall Street in a city in the sky, a year before the first tent was pitched on the ground in Manhattan -- and if his timeline of events in BioShock Infinite is any indication of our own future, we'd better start building some evacuation skyhooks yesterday. Levine draws parallels between the fighting political factions in Infinite, the Founders and the Vox Populi, and the OWS and tea party movements, in an interview with the Washington Post. But it doesn't start -- or stop -- there:

"In this world, we came up with the idea of looking at what was happening at the time of the game [the 1890s], with the jingoism movement and the nationalist movement versus internationalist movement," Levine said. "This was before the tea party, before Occupy Wall Street. Actually, when people saw that demo, they thought we were aping the tea party; they thought it was a hit piece on the Tea Party. But these movements tend to happen. There have been nationalist and nativist movements many times through history.

"As we developed these opposing groups," Levine continued, "the Founders versus the Vox Populi, it was interesting to see this play out in real time, so that the fictional movements we're creating that are set in this heightened past are almost being duplicated in reality."

The polarizing views in the game mirror real-life partisan perception of the BioShock games, Levine said, with people on both sides vilifying them for opposing reasons. Infinite demonstrates a possible outcome of such political extremes, with Columbia seceding from McKinley-era America and devolving into violent drama. "I hope the real-life movements don't head to the same place, though," Levine said. "I'm not going anywhere nice, I'll tell you that much."

Levine: Occupy Wall Street and tea party mirror revolution in BioShock Infinite originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Too many chefs: Ken Levine's thoughts on auteurship, editorship, and his work on the BioShock film

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:45:00 EST

When it comes to the development behind BioShock 1 and BioShock Infinite, Irrational Games studio head Ken Levine described his role as that of "editor of a magazine ... but I'm also a writer for the magazine," putting things into terms that my word-addled brain could understand. "I believe more in editorship. Auteur sounds like you do everything," he began, making a point to preface his following description with a nod to the other 100-ish folks employed at his Massachusetts studio.

That aside, Levine was clear that his role on Infinite is absolutely that of creative lead, not just creative oversight. "This is my game. And I love the fact that we sit down and chat with each other [Levine and other game devs outside of Irrational], but at the end of the day ... this thing's gotta be my decision."

When it came to the translation of BioShock 1 from game to film, however, Levine's role changed -- even though he had been creative lead (head editor?) during the game's development. "If I were to make a game that was based on somebody else's franchise, you need somebody there who's going to say, 'This is true to the franchise, this isn't true to the franchise.' So that was more my role in the film," he explained.

Continue reading Too many chefs: Ken Levine's thoughts on auteurship, editorship, and his work on the BioShock film

Too many chefs: Ken Levine's thoughts on auteurship, editorship, and his work on the BioShock film originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational's Ken Levine on BioShock's final boss and how Infinite's solution is 'more in our wheelhouse'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:20:00 EST

"So every game we make, we always say to ourselves -- back on BioShock 1, we had that terrible showdown fight at the end -- we're not good at that, let's not do that again. And then somehow, we end up ... it's like ... 'Baby I'll never hit you again, I'm changed, I'm changed!' And then we did it!"

Irrational Games head and BioShock 1 creative lead Ken Levine struggled through that explanation this past weekend, pausing often, sighing a lot, and doubling back to be extra clear. His sentiment was certainly definitive, though: even he wasn't a big fan of the game's final boss fight with Atlas. "I think the boss battle in BioShock 1 -- the real boss battle -- is Andrew Ryan."

I had asked about how BioShock Infinite, the studio's next game, would deal with boss fights, as the Atlas battle in the first BioShock title was seen by many as the lowest point in an otherwise spectacular experience. "I think we need to stay in our wheelhouse," he explained. "We're not Shadow of the Colossus. Those guys have a genius for that. We don't have that particular genius." Without getting into anything specific, and recognizing that it would be a "missed opportunity" not to do something with Songbird (Infinite's airborne antagonist), Levine said gamers should expect something more akin to the Andrew Ryan resolution in BioShock 1.

Continue reading Irrational's Ken Levine on BioShock's final boss and how Infinite's solution is 'more in our wheelhouse'

Irrational's Ken Levine on BioShock's final boss and how Infinite's solution is 'more in our wheelhouse' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Irrational Interviews' pairs Ken Levine with the BioWare docs on latest episode

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EST

When we tipped you in the past about Irrational Games' ongoing series of podcasts, dubbed "Irrational Interviews," we may not have been emphatic enough about becoming an ongoing listener. To date, not a single episode has been less than interesting, and this week's episode with the BioWare doctors goes far beyond that all-too-general adjective.

The trio cover everything from their disparate, non-game industry backgrounds, to the myriad difficulties involved in growing a studio, to the requisite "where is the industry going" conversation (unfortunately, even these folks don't know for sure). And clocking in at around half an hour, you can easily fit it in while your significant other watches another episode of the Jersey Shore.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'richcz3']

'Irrational Interviews' pairs Ken Levine with the BioWare docs on latest episode originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioShock Infinite PAX panel video explores the importance of relationships, crying in tiny rooms

Jordan Mallory — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

PAX can be a fantastic catalyst for news and breaking information about upcoming games, but it also provides a unique window into the development process that we as consumers don't often get a chance to see. This year's BioShock Infinite panel, for instance, dove into the art of voice-acting, the challenges associated with dynamic story telling in a first person environment, and the benefits associated with crying in a 5-by-6 closet while strangers viciously berate you.

The panel, hosted by G4's Adam Sessler, starred Irrational Games' Creative Director Ken Levine, as well as voice actors Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who voice Infinite's Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth, respectively. The group covered a wide range of topics regarding Infinite's lead characters, their motivations, and the somewhat unorthodox techniques used to extract such emotional performances from the actors.

Despite being fairly F-bomb heavy, the above video doesn't disclose any information we weren't already aware of, so the spoiler-cautious among you need not worry.

BioShock Infinite PAX panel video explores the importance of relationships, crying in tiny rooms originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine talks BioShock: Infinite on PS3, Move functionality

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:28:00 EST

Do you really need an excuse to watch Ken Levine talk about BioShock: Infinite? Fine, for starters, he discusses the game's PlayStation Move support and his thoughts on the Vita. Second, he's rocking a sweet beard. Now watch it already.

PS Blog also posted a few choice quotes from the designer about the process of creating Infinite for the PS3, noting specifically that, unlike the first BioShock, Infinite has been designed with the PS3 in mind from the outset. Levine noted that Irrational has become "very familiar" with the console and that the team is working to "leverage" the hardware as best it can.

Levine also discussed the subject of replayability. While he wouldn't confirm whether or not Infinite will have a "new game plus" mode, Irrational is putting "a lot" of thought into the game's longevity. "People will see more as time goes on," Levine noted.

Head over to PlayStation Blog for more info, including Levine's thoughts on 3D, politics in games and the PS Vita.

Ken Levine talks BioShock: Infinite on PS3, Move functionality originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine reveals the psychology behind Bioshock Infinite

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST

We've seen the hypnotic 15-minute trailer for Bioshock Infinite, but much more lies beneath the floating surface of Columbia. Levine revealed the method behind Irrational's madness in a lengthy interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun this week, discussing the stress to make Infinite perfect and the trials of living in a dream within a dream.

Levine wants the story and AI behind Elizabeth to run so smoothly that players fall in love with her, which means innovating her every motion with a mix of scripted scenes and environment-induced emergence. Levine said Irrational are also taking a psychological approach to the player's relationship with Elizabeth, through the heady ritual of self-sacrifice:

I started thinking about how a very sick patient often rapidly feels an intense bond with their doctor, because they're in danger. The same is true of people in combat. This tuned us to the nature of sacrifice, and to what a character wants and will sacrifice to get it. Elizabeth wants to control her own destiny and she'd rather die than not control her own destiny. We thought that this was something people could empathize with, but we also thought that sacrifice rapidly builds connections between people.

After that, the interview takes a decidedly philosophical "Is this all a dream? Why are we here? Who is the boss?" turn, but if you're interested check out the full interview on RPS.

Levine reveals the psychology behind Bioshock Infinite originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioShock Infinite E3 demo video coming July 7, first two minutes right here

Mike Schramm — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST

You've surely already read about what we saw during the E3 demo of BioShock Infinite, from the sky-lines to Elizabeth's tearing ability and all of the other quirks of the floating city of Columbia. But perhaps that's not enough for you. Perhaps you want to pick over the experience yourself, looking for succulent secrets and tasty hints that we game press types may have somehow missed.

In that case, you're in luck: Ken Levine says the entire 15-minute demo will be shown on Spike TV on July 7. Even before that, you can watch the full first two minutes of the award-winning demo above. Keep an eye out for our favorite part: "golden" American presidential statues that Booker dismisses with a certain monarchical reference. History! Metaphor! Meaning! No wonder this game's so impressive.

BioShock Infinite E3 demo video coming July 7, first two minutes right here originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley starts new game studio

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:00:00 EST

After helping birth the original Xbox way back in 2000, Seamus Blackley left Microsoft to get back to game development. He put that dream on hold in 2004 when his studio, Capital Entertainment Group, folded, choosing to soldier on as a talent coordinator at Creative Artists Agency. Beyond negotiating deals for famous names like BioShock creative lead Ken Levine and Flower devs thatgamecompany while at CAA, Blackley most recently helped ex-Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West navigate that debacle's dangerous waters.

But now, it seems, Blackley is changing jobs once more. Variety reports that he'll be heading up his own game production company, with virtually zero details given about the move. The change is still fresh enough that Blackley has yet to alter even his LinkedIn profile, for instance.

For now, the games team at CAA will now be headed up by Ophir Lupu and David Stelzer, who were already working with Blackley's command, as well as Greg Essig retaining his role as a "games agent."

Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley starts new game studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioShock Infinite won't support Move, Levine 'open to' 3D

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST

When it comes to BioShock Infinite, Irrational Games is committed to delivering parity across platforms. Unlike the PS3 port of the original BioShock, the PS3 version of Infinite is being developed in house alongside the other versions. The PS3 game won't be adding any trivial, platform-specific gimmicks either.

Creative director Ken Levine told Play that Infinite won't feature PlayStation Move integration, explaining that he'd "never want to throw in Move support just because it's going to make some first party happy." Levine suggested that Irrational simply doesn't see a novel use for the motion controller within the game.

"[It's] like, 'Okay, do you want to harvest or save Little Sister? Waggle left to harvest, waggle right to save!'" he imagined if Move was applied to the first BioShock. "You can have Move support on your box, but people are going to know you're cheating them," he said, noting that "you have to be able to say you're doing something special with it."

Levine, however, hasn't made a decision about a possible 3D display option in Infinite (which wouldn't necessarily be exclusive to the PS3 version). "It's something I'd be more open to," he admitted. "I'm not saying whether we're doing that or not, but it's sort of a passive integration."

BioShock Infinite won't support Move, Levine 'open to' 3D originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine irrationally interviews director Zack Snyder

Justin McElroy — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:40:00 EST

It's official: We need two Ken Levines. We want him to, of course, spend every waking hour of his life making BioShock Infinite -- that's key. But we also need him to spend all his time talking to interesting people and churning out fantastic discussions in his Irrational Interviews podcast.

On the latest edition, he discusses adapting nerdy mythologies with someone who would know: Zack Snyder, the director of 300, Watchmen and the upcoming Superman relaunch. He also reviews some practical tips on cloning. We hope.

Ken Levine irrationally interviews director Zack Snyder originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine: Game industry 'star-struck' by Hollywood

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

You wouldn't blame Ken Levine for having a chip on his shoulder when it comes to Hollywood. After all, as Develop recounts, the respected game designer "failed spectacularly" in his first career as a scriptwriter. So, when Levine was offered an opportunity to make a game with, in his words, "a very talented film director," it's not much of a stretch to imagine he experienced more than a little satisfaction in turning down the offer.

"My feeling is why?" Levine questioned. "Why would any game designer want to do that?"

Aside from any personal justice he might have enjoyed, Levine answers his own question with another: "Why would I want a film director to help me make a game, any more than they would want me to help out with their films?" And he takes it further: "I think there's a sense in the entertainment fields that video games are seen as the junior varsity," he said. "There's this feeling of 'oh one day you can come up to our league.'"

"In our industry there's too many people star-struck of the movie world, jumping into deals with some big movie director just because they're big film directors." No, Levine isn't taunting del Toro, he's just reflecting on the obvious clash between how great games have been made (hint: rather anonymously) and the looming cult of celebrity eager to pervade the game industry.

But hey, Ken, at least they asked you to work with a movie director -- just about anything passes as a star these days. Who would you rather (make your game with): Bristol Palin or The Situation?

Levine: Game industry 'star-struck' by Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational interviews Marvel's Brian Michael Bendis on writing

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Moving from game development to multidisciplinary writing, Irrational Games' Ken Levine and Shawn Elliott chat with Amazing Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis on the second episode of Irrational Interviews, released this week. Did you know that what became BioShock was heavily seeded by a trip Levine and his wife took to Rockefeller Center? You would've if you'd already listened to the episode! What're you waiting for, dummy?

Direct Download / iTunes Feed / Irrational Interviews RSS Feed

[Image credit: Pinguino]

Irrational interviews Marvel's Brian Michael Bendis on writing originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's in a name: Irrational Games

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

It's time for another origin story of an industry presence. During a recent Gamescom interview with Ken Levine of Irrational Games we asked how the developer received its senseless, illogical name:

"Naming things is my least favorite thing to do. In terms of BioShock Infinite, the name doesn't make a lot of sense to people. Even naming BioShock, I was never like, 'Oh my god! That's exactly it!' 'Irrational, that's exactly it!' Names are difficult because you're trying to do so much work in such a little space. So we're never happy with it.

"Irrational was almost called 'Underwater Horse.' The reason that was, you know hex-based war games? My business partner John and I played this very complex World War II game where not only was there a horse-vs-horse combat table, it was so complex, but there was an underwater horse-vs.-underwater horse combat table. So we almost called the company that. We just couldn't come up with a name.

"[Irrational] was the name we all hated least. But now after fifteen years or whatever it's been -- thirteen years. I think the identity has sort of subsumed itself into the name and the word means something to us beyond what "irrational" means in the dictionary because it's a culture, it's a kind of game."

And what about the company's Prince-like name change from Irrational to 2K Boston, back to Irrational?

With a very dry and clipped delivery, Levine said, "It wasn't my idea to call it 2K Boston."

Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's In A Name Archives.

What's in a name: Irrational Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine keeping mum on BioShock Universe continuity

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

For those who've been wondering how the recently announced BioShock Infinite's universe relates (if at all) to the original BioShock ... well, it would seem that answer isn't coming anytime soon.

Irrational Studios' big daddy, Ken Levine, told Joystiq at Gamescom today, "You can see from the gameplay perspective connections between the games, how it's a BioShock game. I think we'll learn over time about what and if the other connections are. But it's really important to me that the same way if I had talked to people about 'would you kindly' or anything like that ahead of time, it would have taken away a lot of the experience. We want to protect the experience."

When we politely pointed out that he had avoided answering the question on whether the game is set in the same universe, he simply reiterated, "We want to protect the experience." He did eventually note regarding criticisms of the game's name: "More will be understood in time. The name will become far less mysterious once you finish the game." Yeah, great -- that's two agonizing years from now!

Ken Levine keeping mum on BioShock Universe continuity originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine: Why Irrational didn't do BioShock 2; What he thought of it

David Hinkle — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

With the announcement of BioShock Infinite, you may be asking yourself, "Well, why did you bow out of doing Bioshock 2, Irrational Games, only to come back to the BioShock universe?" According to comments from IG head honcho Ken Levine during our recent interview, he "felt like we said what we wanted to say about Rapture." He went on to say, "that's one of the reasons BioShock 2 wasn't the right project for us and, as we agreed with the company, we didn't have the timeframe or the scale to make the product of the ambition we had."

The sequel, which was developed mainly at 2K Marin and launched earlier this year, was also brought up by Eurogamer during its interview with Levine, though it was more concerned with his thoughts on how the sequel came out. "I think it's a very talented team," he said of developer 2K Marin, "and I think it fulfilled the mission of completing the story of Rapture."

Ken Levine: Why Irrational didn't do BioShock 2; What he thought of it originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine explains why BioShock Infinite isn't photorealistic

Justin McElroy — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

There's a lot to process in the debut trailer and screens for BioShock Infinite, not the least of which is the look of the characters, which have a slightly exaggerated look to them. In a discussion with Gamers With Jobs on their 200th podcast, Irrational Games boss Ken Levine explained.

"A movie uses photorealism quite often because it's free. We don't get a cost benefit for being photorealistic, it's the same reason Pixar's not photorealistic, you just end up creepy," he said. "There's no need to be photorealistic and I think it's kind of a cop out. I'd much rather play a game that's stylized."

Or maybe by 2012, we'll all look like Pixar characters and that will be the new photorealism. See, it's hard to say, because that's so long from now.

Ken Levine explains why BioShock Infinite isn't photorealistic originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video Interview: Ken Levine, on BioShock Infinite

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST

In an industry filled with rumors and leaks, last night's reveal of BioShock Infinite managed to take nearly everyone by surprise. After nearly three years of silence, designer Ken Levine and the Irrational Games team unveiled their new title -- an extension of the BioShock franchise. We had a chance to talk to Levine after the reveal to discuss his inspirations for the heavily guarded title, and why the team chose not to pursue a completely new IP. While BioShock Infinite may share a name with its predecessor, Levine explains how Infinite has the spirit of a completely new game. Watch our video interview above, or read the full transcription below.

Joystiq: BioShock went through a lot of prototypes, even late in development. How static has Infinite been?

Ken Levine: Unfortunately, we're no better at knowing exactly what we're doing at the very beginning than we were with BioShock. The notion of American exceptionalism, that didn't even exist until six or eight months ago. It was always a city in the sky from the very beginning. But very similar to BioShock 1, where we didn't have Andrew Ryan and the notion of objectivism -- we leave ourselves very open for evolution. When we build these demos, they teach us things about what we're making. We don't just work from a design document; it's just not our way.

Continue reading Video Interview: Ken Levine, on BioShock Infinite

Video Interview: Ken Levine, on BioShock Infinite originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard

Justin McElroy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Usually, these miniposts are for smaller stories, but this time we're just trying to hurry to the good bit: Irrational's launched a new audio show called Irrational Interviews. In the first episode, Ken Levine and Shawn Elliott talk with Bethesda's Todd Howard. So, uhh ... what are you waiting for?

Continue reading Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard

Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational releases the original BioShock pitch document

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

Every once in a while, our very plane of existence will be split into two by a major decision affecting the course of history, creating what scientists refer to as a "parallel universe." Less frequently, a window will open up which lets us catch a quick glimpse into the world of what might have been. Irrational Games threw open just such a window yesterday by releasing the pitch document for BioShock, which was planned to be a very different monster from the game we all know and love. Specifically, a sea monster.

Some things in the document stayed true -- genetic modification was a major aspect of the pitch. Most of it ... well, let's just say we're glad things changed the way they did. We're not sure the story of Carlos Cuello, who must infiltrate a remote island run by cultists to rescue a wealthy heiress, would be quite so memorable. Also, those aforementioned genetic modifications give you traits of different sea creatures instead of regular ol' superpowers.

Also, there was supposed to be multiplayer. Multiplayer! In BioShock! Have you ever heard of anything so preposterous?

Irrational releases the original BioShock pitch document originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XCOM being developed by 2K Australia [update]

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:18:00 EST

Update: As it turns out, 2K Australia is actually part of 2K Marin. We've got the full story right here.

Original Story: Though 2K Games' middle-of-the-night XCOM announcement heralded 2K Marin as the studio heading up development of the title, 1UP reportedly clarifies that 2K Marin's "Canberra, Australia arm" (read: 2K Australia) will be in charge of the project. For those of you playing along at home, 2K Australia was the Australian counterpart to BioShock developer Irrational Games before it split to work with 2K Marin on BioShock 2, while Kenny L and company got to work on a separate (still unannounced) project.

That said, this news frees up 2K Marin's core team for other projects. And if we were betting men, we'd put our money on the California arm of the company working on a third entry in the BioShock series. When reached for comment, a 2K Games rep told us we'll hear more specifics about XCOM and 2K Marin "over the next couple of months."

XCOM being developed by 2K Australia [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East: Podcasting (f)or PR

David Hinkle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

If you're interested at all in starting up a podcast or want to know more about what goes into creating one, the PAX East panel hosted by Gamers With Jobs' Julian Murdoch and attended by podcasting professionals Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, Insomniac Games' James Stevenson, Irrational Games' Ken Levine and Shawn Elliott, and EA's Jeff Green is a pretty enlightening listen

We were anxious to hear what the group had to say on the subject of using podcasts for promotion -- and we recorded it because, well, you might be interested too! For the full, unedited (and very NSFW) audio, click on the play button below. Highlights include outlining the value in podcasting, being on the front lines of PR when something bad goes down and answering questions on how to get a podcast off the ground and cultivating an audience. Feel free to give a listen below.

PAX East: Podcasting (f)or PR originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East: Ken Levine and the Hug That Taught the World to Love

Justin McElroy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST

No matter what anyone will tell you, this months-in-the-making hug between Joystiq's Justin McElroy and Irrational Games' Ken Levine was the most important thing that happened at PAX.

Fair warning, Ken drops the F-bomb in the process of admitting the harsh truth that he listens to the Joystiq Podcast. It's pretty much the best thing ever.

PAX East: Ken Levine and the Hug That Taught the World to Love originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine goes behind the scenes on System Shock 2

Mike Schramm — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST

Irrational Games continues to empty out its vault of memories and secrets over on its newly commissioned blog -- Ken Levine and the crew are revealing so much old insider information over there you have to wonder how long they'll keep it up. Today, it's "what might have been" on System Shock 2, as Levine relates what they would have liked to do with the SHODAN showdown game, given more time and resources. The game was originally designed as an Apocalypse Now-style assassination in space, and it included some zero-G gameplay ideas (that sound pretty similar to what Dead Space pulled off years later). The ending also had to be rewritten, as the cinematic that Levine got back didn't have much to do with the script that he had originally put together.

And perhaps the most disturbing factoid is that the entire game was created in just 900 square feet of office space, full of overworked (and smelly) game developers. Wandering around the Von Braun was scary and all, but spending 11 months in a tiny room full of developers on crunch? No wonder Levine sounds ecstatic he survived.

Ken Levine goes behind the scenes on System Shock 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Ken Levine talks Irrational site, next game announcement and BioShock 2 relationship

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST

Irrational Games' head-honcho Ken Levine spoke to us today about the developer's new website and stronger community focus -- but of course, we wanted more. We tried to get an answer on when the studio's new project will finally be announced, asked him what the company's plans are for PAX East, and finally got to the bottom of what his actual involvement is with BioShock 2 -- which isn't much.

Joystiq: Why does a studio that's well-known for focused single-player experiences need such a robust community site?

Ken Levine: I don't think that single player ... I don't think community is just for multiplayer. People like talking about the games. You go to Cult of Rapture, BioShock was a single player game and there's a lot of people on that site. People want to learn about us, they want to learn about other people playing the game, they want to learn what's happening at the studio. They want to know about the the integration behind stuff we did. Maybe I'm high, I just don't make the connection between multiplayer titles and a web page.

We've known this change has been in the works since last March during GDC, where members of your studio were wearing shirts that hinted toward this name change. What was the impetus for putting so much effort into trying to create a community around Irrational with the site? Why was that so important?

We've had a big community, back in the day when we did Freedom Force. We had a huge website that supported them. It kinda broke our heart a little bit when that went away and we converted to 2K Boston. When we took the name back, Take-Two was kind enough to agree and allow us to build our community. ... I really wanted a website that was about interacting with fans. I don't really care about the marketing stuff, that's handled elsewhere. This is not a site where you get five flash videos selling you a product. This is a site about the audience and about the audience getting a better understanding of what it's like to work here, be here and getting us a better understanding of what they like and don't like about our games.

Continue reading Interview: Ken Levine talks Irrational site, next game announcement and BioShock 2 relationship

Interview: Ken Levine talks Irrational site, next game announcement and BioShock 2 relationship originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First (and only) look at Irrational's canceled zombie game 'Division 9'

Justin McElroy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:58:00 EST

It was rough yesterday when we heard that Irrational Games had a really incredible sounding zombie game called "Division 9" buried under its floorboards, never to be released. Ask our loved ones, we cried, moped, cried some more, and then consumed tubs of Chubby Hubby. We lost count -- it was that bad.

And now that we've seen screens and video of the project, via Game Informer; now that we know the game has a dark, desperate, realistic feel that's even better than we imagined? Well, it's frankly more than we can bear. If you need us, we'll be in the frozen desserts aisle ... or maybe the whiskey aisle. Jury's still out.

First (and only) look at Irrational's canceled zombie game 'Division 9' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational Games has new website, podcast ... and an abandoned zombie game

Justin McElroy — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST

It's a great time to be a fan of Irrational Games. Not only has the developer recently gotten its nomenclature back into shape, it's got a gorgeous new website full of secrets and stories behind several projects (for example, Chief Ken Levine promises to talk about Irrational's new project there ... eventually). Heck, there are even achievements!

Perhaps most exciting is a podcast called Irrational Behavior -- helmed by former 1UP Yours and GFW Radio heartthrob Shawn Elliott -- a sort of Irrational Games audio magazine presented with a Life Well Wasted/This American Life flavor. The first episode centers on abandoned ideas, including a game that blends SWAT, X-Com and zombies. And that we want right now, please.

Irrational Games has new website, podcast ... and an abandoned zombie game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Levine lists favorite games again, changes mind on a few

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST

Ken Levine plays video games. Shocking, we know! Speaking with IndustryGamers, Levine, who is currently working on a super-secret project, listed his ten favorite games. Occupying the top five spots in descending order are: World of Warcraft, Civilization, Beyond Good & Evil, Ultima Underworld and Company of Heroes.

Back in 2007, Levine produced a similar list for MSNBC. His top five have apparently shifted in the last two years, though, as Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past have fallen even beyond the BioShock developer's top ten. How hast these games forsaken thee, Ken? What hast they done for thou to banish them from thy heart likest so?

Ken Levine lists favorite games again, changes mind on a few originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2K Boston's next big thing is a shooter

Justin McElroy — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:31:00 EST

"Yeah, that and 90 percent of the other games released every year," you retort.

Okay, we hear you, and trust us, we get it. It's not exactly earth-shattering that a 2K Boston job listing indicates that the follow-up to the studio's big-hit shooter BioShock would be another shooter. But do you remember the part where 2K Boston made BioShock? Yeah, you better believe we're going to tell you everything we learn about it until we have it in our trembling, grateful hands. (Speaking of which, it's also hiring a multiplayer level designer, for your info.)

Besides, we weren't positive it was going to be another shooter. It could have been another Freedom Force game, for all we knew. Actually, 2K Boston ... could you go ahead and make that too, while you're at it?

[Via Gamespot]

2K Boston's next big thing is a shooter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coo over Sander Cohen's BioShock statuette

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST

GamePro has a photo set of the statuette based on BioShock's homicidal artist, Sander Cohen, given to 2K Boston employees by the studio's Creative Director Ken Levine. The sculpture was created by "Irrational" artist Robb Waters, produced by Patch Together and infused with mental instability by Fontaine Futuristics.

2K Boston is currently working on a secret project while 2K Marin (and a half-dozen other studios) try to get BioShock 2 out the airlock.

Coo over Sander Cohen's BioShock statuette originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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