News - Irrational Games, developers of BioShock series, to close

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Ken Levine will be starting a "smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavour".

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Really sad to hear this. Irrational Games was kind of the last remaining link to Looking Glass Studios. I also can't help thinking this may mean some sort of "casual" game is on the horizon for Ken Levine and whoever he deems fit to stay on with him, despite what the article (and by extension Ken Levine) says.

Seems sad, but if they do something great it might be worth it. For the other members of that team who will soon leave I feel a bit more concerned about them, financial aid doesn't always replace what you've put into something.

In other things, I think the next game they will make will contain a "shock" in the title ;)

Seems crazy to do this when they're creating top-notch games that plenty of people want to play. Kind of bizarre really.

It's a really courageous move to close down the studio when they are doing well. Levine must have a really strong vision and I look forward to what they come up with. I highly doubt it will be some casual game.
Either that or he is having a major mid life crisis.

Suspect a lot will come out in the wash. Suspect as the layers of project managers, team leaders, entrenched long tenure finance people grow, output to person ratio decreases and infighting increases. Just a guess - time will tell.

Sometimes just closing shop is tidier than restructuring/layoffs.

sometimes better to quit when you're ahead. time will tell if he's done the right move.