Company News Ken Levine shuts down Irrational Games

[Broseph]

To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable.

That description sounds a little like

Fixed that for you buddy.

 

[Average Manatee]

Major layoffs happen all the time for stupid reasons. You don't like it, vote Communist.

This isn't even a reason. It's like if the execs at BP said "I'm tired of managing this oil stuff, lets start a bake shop" and promptly fired 99% of their employees. Assuming Irrational is profitable there's no good reason not to simply hire someone else to do the job making AAA-derp bioshocks while Ken Levine goes off and does whatever he likes.

This event can in fact be compared to things that have already happened in the gaming industry:

1) Bungie's departure from Microsoft and their abandonment of the Halo IP, because they wanted to move on and their contract with Microsoft allowed it.
2) The ousting of the Infinity Ward founders and the departure of much of their staff, driven in part by the fact that they were tired of being forced to rehash Call of Duty.

Both of these events aren't exactly the same as what happened to Irrational, but there are enough similarities that we can say that it's not entirely out of the question that something like this could happen.

Totally different though. In those cases those are people leaving that want to leave. In this instance it's Levine wanting to leave, and btw fuck everyone else working there, you are now out of a job. Nothing stopped Levine from leaving with a few people and letting someone else run the joint.

 

[set]

He wants the IPs and the existing resources. I mean, they have a working game engine with Bioshock Infinite -- all the hardwork there is complete. Not like you need anymore fancy rendering tech to sell your current gen games because they're still basically last gen with higher res rextures (at best).

 

[tuluse]

He wants the IPs and the existing resources. I mean, they have a working game engine with Bioshock Infinite -- all the hardwork there is complete. Not like you need anymore fancy rendering tech to sell your current gen games because they're still basically last gen with higher res rextures (at best).

Yes all the hard work of licensing Unreal Engine has been done.

 

[set]

Pf, is that what they used? No wonder Infinite was a shoebox.

In any case, I'm sure they've done more than use the UDK you get out of 'the box'. There's still a lot of investment in terms of overlaying game systems.

 

[set]

Also, Ken Levine could learn a thing or two from Mass Effect.

The "lego building blocks", the "primitives", the "elements" of "a story"... it's caled a fucking event. Events build stories, it's a series of events that makes a fucking story. There isn't any mysterious quintessential thing that makes up a story - it's a thing that happens. It's called causality. You know, causality isn't as hard to understand as as quantum mechanics.

Mass Effect 3. Go play the 3 endings laid over each other. If all you're going to do to is design systems so identical events can be overlaid just like that, you're not doing fucking shit. Your code if a pile of crap if that's all it can do to weave a story. You're as bad as EA if that's what you're pillaging a company to set out to make.

Do you want to know what really builds a story in a game? I'll tell you what: It's simulation. It's actual game mechanics. That's to say, shit that isn't hard-coded or smushed or copypasted or hamfisted together like your typical Mass Effect ending cinematic. A true "story driven" experience with player input is not a slideshow, it is a chain of dynamic events.

Download Dwarf Fortress and marvel at all the little mechanics that culminate into a unique "story" each time you play. It's that kind of dedication to building functions, mechanics and systems which generate dynamic stories. Your block-building strategy is only going to create flat "choose your own adventure stories" with copypasta cinematics like ME3.

 

[Cleveland Mark Blakemore]

… and so many of you think a misanthrope is a sociopath.

A misanthrope is never a sociopath. The two personality types are at the opposite ends of the human spectrum.

A sociopath thrives by pretending to be like everybody else and would never confess to feeling no empathy for anyone. A sociopath uses "us" as a trick they play on all the other primates around them.

They use people to make a bunch of money then dump them like old laundry they can't be bothered to wash.

Misanthropes have plenty of empathy, coupled with a healthy contempt for mankind. They admit to it. A sociopath can never admit that, it is their bread and butter pretending to be Mr. Wonderful save everybody altruism central.

Misanthropes usually have a much stronger code of ethics than ordinary people. They'll treat people they don't even like the same way they treat everybody else. A misanthrope is totally maladjusted because there is hardly any angle they can work that will work out for their own benefit. They are screwing themselves by admitting to who they really are and telling people what they really think. Behind every misanthrope is a person who started out with the highest ideals … the problem is they kept almost all of them.

A sociopath is always your best friend who loves everybody. Within ten seconds, they'll decide they got what they came for and fire their entire company, clean out the accounts and leave 'em all laughing at what an unfortunate development this all is. You see, it was necessary.

These are exactly the sort of people who control the AAA titles industry. Exactly. I have never met him and yet I know everything about him. Everything.

The problems with impulse control and absolute machievellian utility "I want to do this right now" which constantly needs explaining why it was a totally rational decision in retrospect is typical of this kind of personality. Like I said, I know these guys. I know what they are and it isn't good.

 

[Cleveland Mark Blakemore]

Totally different though. In those cases those are people leaving that want to leave. In this instance it's Levine wanting to leave, and btw fuck everyone else working there, you are now out of a job. Nothing stopped Levine from leaving with a few people and letting someone else run the joint.

He wants to take the IP with him. F*ck them all, he could care less. Sounds like many of them were the last to know. A true bastard.

If he wanted to leave, he could take a few select members with him and put somebody else in charge of the company. But that is not what a sociopath would do.

He would just fold, take the IP with him and row away in a little boat with some of his friends after punching holes in the bottom of the ship.

It's a long list but I am adding Ken Levine to the list of people I have to recognise their names in the future so I know what kind of bastardry to expect. I'm terrible with names but some a**holes warrant remembering. Ken Levine. Levine, is that Irish? I am trying to tag something to the name with association so I will remember what a bastard he is.

 

[tuluse]

He wants to take the IP with him. F*ck them all, he could care less. Sounds like many of them were the last to know. A true bastard.

If he wanted to leave, he could take a few select members with him and put somebody else in charge of the company. But that is not what a sociopath would do.

He would just fold, take the IP with him and row away in a little boat with some of his friends after punching holes in the bottom of the ship.

It's a long list but I am adding Ken Levine to the list of people I have to recognise their names in the future so I know what kind of bastardry to expect. I'm terrible with names but some a**holes warrant remembering. Ken Levine. Levine, is that Irish? I am trying to tag something to the name with association so I will remember what a bastard he is.

You're going to love this.

http://www.archives.com/genealogy/family-history-levin.html

French, English and Jewish.

 

[racofer]

Also, Ken Levine could learn a thing or two from Mass Effect.

The "lego building blocks", the "primitives", the "elements" of "a story"... it's caled a fucking event. Events build stories, it's a series of events that makes a fucking story. There isn't any mysterious quintessential thing that makes up a story - it's a thing that happens. It's called causality. You know, causality isn't as hard to understand as as quantum mechanics.

Mass Effect 3. Go play the 3 endings laid over each other. If all you're going to do to is design systems so identical events can be overlaid just like that, you're not doing fucking shit. Your code if a pile of crap if that's all it can do to weave a story. You're as bad as EA if that's what you're pillaging a company to set out to make.

Do you want to know what really builds a story in a game? I'll tell you what: It's simulation. It's actual game mechanics. That's to say, shit that isn't hard-coded or smushed or copypasted or hamfisted together like your typical Mass Effect ending cinematic. A true "story driven" experience with player input is not a slideshow, it is a chain of dynamic events.

Download Dwarf Fortress and marvel at all the little mechanics that culminate into a unique "story" each time you play. It's that kind of dedication to building functions, mechanics and systems which generate dynamic stories. Your block-building strategy is only going to create flat "choose your own adventure stories" with copypasta cinematics like ME3.

Oh, the sweet taste of bitterness from the young ones.

 

[set]

I wouldn't call it bitter, just frustration. You have to be abnormally dense to eat Ken's bullshit at this point. "The building blocks of a story driven game"? Who does he think he's fooling with that bullshit? He must think computers are powered with magic and rainbows.

 

[DeepOcean]

I'm suspicious of the usual internet drama. Did the guy just appeared on the office and said everyone is fired or people inside already knew about this for some time? He could had, at least, warned them with a month of antecedence for them to seek a job.

 

[Flacracker]

If this gets me SWAT 5, then so be it.

 

[Sunsetspawn]

Behind every misanthrope is a person who started out with the highest ideals … the problem is they kept almost all of them.

BOOM!
got myself a sig

Ken Levine. Levine, is that Irish? I am trying to tag something to the name with association so I will remember what a bastard he is.

Yes, the name comes from a small town in Ireland situated between Goldstein, Cohen, and Shalowitz.

 

[Metro]

Levine is the ultimate jizzbag. Can't wait to see the 2deep4u shit he spews out in indieware.

 

[Severian Silk]

I feel like such a misanthrope.

 

[Bubbles]

Levine is the ultimate jizzbag. Can't wait to see the 2deep4u shit he spews out in indieware.

Shockus.

Bioshock-style FPS with a randomly generated profound philosophical message. Made in Unity, with new enemies/environments/quest types/weapons unlocked through microtransactions or 100+ hours of grinding.

 

[SuicideBunny]

Woah, for a moment there I thought she was in a bathtub with only foam covering her breasts. Would hire.

you would hire somebody who designed those shitty bioshock infinite levels just because of tits? you're what's wrong with the gaming industry

Who knew it was that easy, I hope Bethesda follows suit.

but without bethesda, who would drive japanese game devs to improve their games...

 

[Ismaul]

Woah, for a moment there I thought she was in a bathtub with only foam covering her breasts. Would hire.

you would hire somebody who designed those shitty bioshock infinite levels just because of tits? you're what's wrong with the gaming industry

When you've made a living out of finding incline in the most desperate times, like mr. racofer here, sometimes you can't help but feel that incline creeping up even at the most unappropriate of times.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Levine, is that Irish? I am trying to tag something to the name with association so I will remember what a bastard he is.

Levine was born in Flushing, New York to a Jewish family, though he considers himself an atheist.

 

[Black]

Totally different though. In those cases those are people leaving that want to leave. In this instance it's Levine wanting to leave, and btw fuck everyone else working there, you are now out of a job. Nothing stopped Levine from leaving with a few people and letting someone else run the joint.

he could care less

The fuck is wrong with you?

 

[SuicideBunny]

Nothing stopped Levine from leaving with a few people and letting someone else run the joint.

actually a lot stopping levine from doing that. most importantly the fact that irrational has been owned by take two for the last seven or so years and considering how they have been shuffled, split and renamed over those 7 years, this smells of glorious leader taking blame for corporate restructuring and even if it weren't he's prolly bound by a contract that prevents him from working on games for a few years should he leave out of his own volition.

 

[Lunac]

Burn it all down, all of of it! And then make a glorious reimagined remake prequel to Bioshock in post-industrial post-apocalyptic-utopian setting with the IDTech3 engine... as a Steam exclusive... for MAC. Always for MAC... always on Steam. That said, in reality, with this dirtbag calling it a day, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of nearly identical imagination deficient and talentless hacks waiting in the shadows to take his place and more. Nothing was accomplished, nothing has changed. The decline marches on downwards into the deep dark caverns of destiny, with a steady tempo, and all that can be seen in the dark mist ahead is... console exclusives... lotsa and lotsa console exclusives.


...
..
.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Also System Shock 2 isn't a RPG, even Avellone says so.

No worries. Neither are Alpha Protocol or DS3.

 

[Azrael the cat]

You've buried the lead on this story. The issue isn't that Ken Levine is winding down Irrational - it's that he's chosen to do this instead of SELLING it bio-doc style to a larger public company and making himself absurdly so-rich-that-even-though-he's-already-rich-the-post-sale-Levine-could-hire-the-pre-sale-Levine-as-his-butler. Really goddamn amazingly rich. Biodocs rich.

Usually that's the 'I win' button for any start up - once you're bought out, you get to stay on as manager of your old place, often on an even larger salary than what you used to pay yourself. You get what you were earning already PLUS a truckload of money for selling your company AND the best part is that now you're completely insulated from any risk. It's why the Bio-docs won bigtime - like they fucking gave a shit whether the ME or TOR were going to work out for EA, they'd made their $$$ by selling Bioware at its peak-IP value, and were justing waiting down the clock for their 2-year contracts to finish up so they could get a golden handshake on top of it all.

And the buyer pretty much HAS to keep you in contract for about 2 years minimum after the sale - otherwise you can just walk out, start up a NEW company and say to all your customers (who they've just paid you a truckload of money for) 'hey, none of us work at Bioware anymore, so if you want the same experience, come buy our new game from our totally unrelated company Cioware!!!'

The only reason I can see why Levine would have chosen to wind his company up instead of pressing that 'I win' button would be the flipside: no buyer is going to be interested UNLESS they know that they're not just buying the company, but also the services of him and most of his core management, for at least a couple of years. But grown adults don't generally turn down that kind of cash just because 'I don't want to work for them so bleh' - especially when you've got the whip hand in the relationship, with them essentially just paying you not to leave and compete with them.

I'm going to rule out the possibility that Levine is such an asshole that nobody wanted to deal with him - we'd have heard a lot about it, and Irrational would have sold a lot less product if that was the case.

Which really does seem to leave us with the unlikely idea that he actually wants to make games in an area that major publishers aren't interested in, and that won't sell enough copies to keep Irrational afloat. Going into cell-phones seems unlikely, only because he could have added that as an easy money-making expansion to Irrational - it's not something he'd need to wind a profitable company up for, nor something that would rule out a sale.

Similarly, I can't see it being a step towards System Shock or Thief style games - they're close enough to what his company was making anyway (in terms of competencies, anyway) that he could have shifted that way without winding down a company to do so. Especially given that the safest way would be to piggyback more complex mechanics onto the well-known and successful Bioshock brand, instead of selling the IP in an asset float.

So I can only presume he thinks that he's onto something that's not only experimental, but also not in the FPS-hybrid mold either. Of course, whether we actually get anything interesting is a different story - older developers who have gone into management, only to then try and 'return to the field' and become creatives again have had a pretty terrible run. But just to wind up Irrational and NOT hit the great big 'sell to EA (or whoever)' button of win is a pretty astounding move.