Irrational Acquired like a Little Bitch

Click here and disable ads!

<strong>[ Game -> Update ]</strong>

<p><a target="_self" href="http://www.gamasutra.com">Gamasutra</a> is <a title="telling me" target="_self" href="http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7721">telling me</a> that <a title="Irrational" target="_self" href="http://www.irrationalgames.com/">Irrational</a>, developers of the uber-cool <a title="Freedom lols" target="_self" href="http://www.freedomfans.com/">Freedom Force</a> games and <a title="System cock" target="_self" href="http://www.irrationalgames.com/shock2/default.cfm">System Shock 2</a>, have been <strike>ass-raped</strike> acquired by publisher <a title="faggots" target="_self" href="http://www.take2games.com/">Take-Two Interactive</a>. Take-Two also purchased Firaxis last November. </p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="newsbody">
The staff e-mail allegedly describes the release date of <em>BioShock</em>
as being 2007 for the PC and next generation consoles, which suggests
significant confidence in the game&rsquo;s quality on the part of Take-Two &ndash;
with the developer not known to be working on any other titles.</span> </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Next-gen consoles? Say it ain't so, Irrational! </p><p>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.strategyinformer.com">Strategu Informer</a></p>

Maybe Ken Levine's been kidnapped and when he hears of this he's gonna bust out of the little cell he's in and totally kick some corporate asshole butt and then announe he fucked EA up the ass and now owns the rights to Crusader and System Shock and is going to make them pc-only and send out a box filled with dog shit disguised as the console versions to all major publishers.

You know, when I saw Naked Lunch's clever play on words and mordant humour in this news post, I literally fell on the floor laughing. That was how funny it was.

Tacticular Cancer - funny when you're fourteen.

tacitcular cancer is at a level you'll never hope to achieve within your lifetime and you wont ever have kids, too

we are the new gods of the internet

Or you could aim to combine a critical approach to strategy games with a level of discussion usually only reached by those who aren't tall enough to ride on rollercoasters, I suppose.

Well, at least you've got Shagnak, so there'll be one decent newsposter for me to read between the comedy. Ho hum.

There's no need to be a complete drama queen about this, BovNL'er:

IGN: Is there concern that joining a large publisher like Take Two will stifle or compromise Irrational creatively?

Ken Levine: Since the acquisition, I think they've been to our studio once. And once you hear more about BioShock and the other title, I think the last thing you'll worry about is us being creatively compromised.

Gamecloud - Why did Irrational feel the need to be acquired by a large publisher like Take Two, rather than perhaps merge with another independent developer like a few other studios have done recently?

Ken Levine - It wasn’t so much of a need as the right deal and the right partner and the right time. I think given the economies of developing, we would have ended up working with other developers like BioWare and Pandemic, as we’ve got nothing but respect for what those guys are doing. But 2K offered us all the freedom of being independent (they’ve pretty much left us to do our thing) and like I said, they’re one of the few big pubs to take real risks (I mean BioShock is not exactly what you call an obvious play like Tomb Raider 12).

from rpgdot.com

shut up

the serious discussion comes when its needed, you dont have to be a serious grandpa 24/7.

Yeah, that makes it sound not to bad.

Still, I think "true" independence would make it more likely we would get their pure unadulterated gaming vision. And on the other hand this decision may mean that we are more likely to get Bioshock at all*. I guess there is a tension between the two.

*Anyways, I thought Irrational were a striking example of a developer doing their own thing and still succeeding. Were their games not as financially succesful as I thought? Or was this a case of "too good an offer" ka-ching! ka-ching!
[Edit: I should really learn to read. "It wasn’t so much of a need as the right deal and the right partner and the right time" answers that I guess.]

Let's hope not. Cross fingers and 20 Hail Cthulhus.

Bioshock to me is the last hope for LG-style games (i.e. FPSes with a brain behind them). And then there's those rumours of wacky things like TB strategy games. Let's hope that Ken's positivity is a reflection of reality and not the result of some post-cheque afterglow.

The only worry is if we get DX:IW/T3 syndrome - i.e. small areas due to console architecture constraints. I'm no expert, but I imagine consoles like the XBOX 360 or PS3 don't have those constraints.

We'll have to worry if they intend to backport it to the PS2 and original XBOX.

"The developer not known to be working on any other titles"?
I was hoping for maybe some more unique strategy shiz. Give us some TB magic one day Ken!

I'm sixteen, you jerk

I wonder what the "other title" is?
Any guesses?

Hmm, another Freedom Force game?

Explains a lot.

Just consider me the site's token grouser. Lord know we need a decent strategy news site, but does it have to be covered with your pubescent 'hey look mom, I have a website! And the banner says funny things like 'Naked Lunch is the coolest dude ever!' ejaculations?

I know Tribes Vengeance tanked pretty badly. How did SWAT 4 do?

Yeah, let's not have any fun at all. I like to have jobs that don't pay me!

Fun /= cliquey little website that won't attract anyone outside your gang.

And I'm a registered munchkin? Excellent {grin}.