Key Irrational staffers exit company, including BioShock Infinite art director [Joyst

[DP ServBot]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/08/bioshockinfinite3dentist_530x298.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/key-irrational-staffers-exit-company-including-bioshock-infinit/)
Several members of BioShock Infinite (http://joystiq.com/game/bioshock-infinite) developer Irrational Games have left behind the buoyant shores of Columbia. At least four individuals now list Irrational games as a "past" employer on LinkedIn, with some even listing new current positions at other developers.

The four who have left include design lead Jeff McGann (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-mcgann/2/34/908), principal systems designer Kenneth Strickland (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kenneth-strickland/0/b40/bb5), director of product development Tim Gerritsen (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tim-gerritsen/0/360/503) and art director Nate Wells (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/nate-wells/7/156/4ba). Wells' departure is particularly noteworthy, as he has been with Irrational for nearly 13 years, having joined the company in September of 1999.

Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/175574/Two_top_Bioshock_Infinite_team_members_leave_Irrat ional.php) reports that Wells' Twitter bio briefly mentioned he was changing jobs, though the reference has since been removed. Furthermore, his LinkedIn page noted developer Naughty Dog as an employer in 2012, though that has also been removed.

At the very least, we know who's replacing Wells on the project, namely Scott Sinclair, art director for the original BioShock. Ken Levine himself confirmed as much on Twitter (https://twitter.com/IGLevine/status/233292727876460544), stating that Sinclair is "back in the art director's chair for Infinite to bring it home." He added that he "Can't wait" to show fans "what's cooking." The wait could still be a while, as Levine has made it clear that we won't be seeing Infinite again until it's practically finished (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/bioshock-infinite-delayed/).

Meanwhile, Joe Fielder (http://www.linkedin.com/in/joefielder), formerly a producer at Irrational, is now listed as a writer.

It's worth noting that BioShock Infinite is nearing its February 2013 release date, and it's not uncommon for studios to shed staff as development draws to a close. Joystiq has contacted Irrational for comment.http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif (http://www.joystiq.com)Key Irrational staffers exit company, including BioShock Infinite art director (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/key-irrational-staffers-exit-company-including-bioshock-infinit/) originally appeared on Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com) on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).

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[dgdgagdae]

I hate replying to a ServBot thread. But...

Is anyone actually looking forward to this game? I loved BioShock, although I didn't play much of the sequel. But what is BioShock Infinite, really? I've read the articles in Game Informer about it, and I've seen some trailers. It just looks...dumb. And unrelated to BioShock at all.

[G-Boobie]

I hate replying to a ServBot thread. But...

Is anyone actually looking forward to this game? I loved BioShock, although I didn't play much of the sequel. But what is BioShock Infinite, really? I've read the articles in Game Informer about it, and I've seen some trailers. It just looks...dumb. And unrelated to BioShock at all.

I'm very much looking forward to it, for no other reason that Irrational has never done me wrong. I also find the era of American exceptionalism interesting, and Irrational is superb at couching their messages in games that play well.

I find your statement interesting: you're complaining that this game doesn't resemble Bioshock, but in the same breath admit that you "didn't play much of the sequel", which was very much related to the original game. Did you mean that you didn't like 2? Why not?

From where I'm sitting Infinite is very much a Bioshock game: meditations on a particular set of philosophical or political ideals couched in a first person shooter. It's the game I'm most looking forward to next year.

[dgdgagdae]

I'm very much looking forward to it, for no other reason that Irrational has never done me wrong. I also find the era of American exceptionalism interesting, and Irrational is superb at couching their messages in games that play well.

I find your statement interesting: you're complaining that this game doesn't resemble Bioshock, but in the same breath admit that you "didn't play much of the sequel", which was very much related to the original game. Did you mean that you didn't like 2? Why not?

From where I'm sitting Infinite is very much a Bioshock game: meditations on a particular set of philosophical or political ideals couched in a first person shooter. It's the game I'm most looking forward to next year.

I see weapons like the motorized patriot, and I just think "really?"

I didn't dislike BioShock 2, I just never got around to putting much time into it.

[G-Boobie]

I see weapons like the motorized patriot, and I just think "really?"

I didn't dislike BioShock 2, I just never got around to putting much time into it.

Well, using that logic, since you didn't dislike Bioshock 2 but didn't put much time into it, the "Bioshock-ness" of the game clearly doesn't bother you as much as you say. Which is, you know, fine, I guess. There's something wrong with the communication, here.

As for the motorized patriot, would you rather it were yet another zombie? Or another tribal Muhajadeen? Or another muscleman alien? Or demon? Does it lose something for being original? Is that where we're at?

You're free to like or dislike a game as much as you want, but I'm struggling to understand your stated reasons.

[Graham Mitchell]

I'm with G-Boobie. Irrational always does a fantastic job. I bought my 360 just to play the first Bioshock. I hadn't played a modern system in awhile, and I was just blown away by Bioshock. It's so brilliant on so many levels.

After finishing it, I bought up a ton of modern games looking for another title on the level of Bioshock. I never really found it, though Deadly Premonition comes pretty close. As such, I'm looking forward to this.

And now I have an amped up PC, so I'll be able to appreciate the game in it's full glory!

[Andy]

I've generally liked Irrational's work (wish they would get back to making Freedom Force games someday) but I'm kind of worried about them because Bioshock was...not bad but not as good as I was hoping for. When they were promoting it as a spiritual successor to System Shock 2, I didn't think that meant completely redoing SS2 except not as good (except for technical aspects like graphics), right down to the big plot twist. Then they announced the XCOM FPS, which doesn't look very good. I hope Bioshock Infinite turns out okay but my faith in their work has been shaken.

[dgdgagdae]

Well, using that logic, since you didn't dislike Bioshock 2 but didn't put much time into it, the "Bioshock-ness" of the game clearly doesn't bother you as much as you say. Which is, you know, fine, I guess. There's something wrong with the communication, here.

As for the motorized patriot, would you rather it were yet another zombie? Or another tribal Muhajadeen? Or another muscleman alien? Or demon? Does it lose something for being original? Is that where we're at?

You're free to like or dislike a game as much as you want, but I'm struggling to understand your stated reasons.

Simple - Because I'm not explaining myself well.

BioShock was, to me anyway, a completely different kind of game (I have not played System Shock 2). It was a new and different kind of experience, and I'll agree with almost anyone with a pulse that it was a great game.

I tried out BioShock 2, and it just seemed like more of the same. Not bad, by any definition, but it just didn't grab me the same way.

That said, I can see how me seemingly not being interested in BioShock Infinite because it doesn't look like BioShock sounds confusing. Let me phrase my original question another way: If this game didn't have the BioShock name, would you still be interested in it? It seems that they've thrown the name on there, but I'm not understanding why.

As far as the Mobilized Patriot goes, you appreciate it just because it's different than any enemy we've faced before? That's just not enough. It's weird. Like, Japanese weird.

[G-Boobie]

Simple - Because I'm not explaining myself well.

BioShock was, to me anyway, a completely different kind of game (I have not played System Shock 2). It was a new and different kind of experience, and I'll agree with almost anyone with a pulse that it was a great game.

I tried out BioShock 2, and it just seemed like more of the same. Not bad, by any definition, but it just didn't grab me the same way.

That said, I can see how me seemingly not being interested in BioShock Infinite because it doesn't look like BioShock sounds confusing. Let me phrase my original question another way: If this game didn't have the BioShock name, would you still be interested in it? It seems that they've thrown the name on there, but I'm not understanding why.

As far as the Mobilized Patriot goes, you appreciate it just because it's different than any enemy we've faced before? That's just not enough. It's weird. Like, Japanese weird.

That's fair, and I get where you're coming from now.

Honestly, I'd probably be interested in the game even without the Bioshock title for the same reason as I find the Patriots interesting: I'm a sucker for weird and unusual settings and design. I get bored in single player games very quickly unless the game is doing something new to drag me in, so I'm guilty as charged there. On the other hand the Big Daddy is a weird enemy, too, but fits well within the theme of Rapture. I have the same hopes for the Patriots.

I have two theories why the game has Bioshock in the title, and aren't mutually exclusive: the first, because it's easier to sell a game based on a floating city of frothing political fundamentalists set during the presidency of Warren Harding if the title is something people recognize. The second is that games with the Bioshock titles share certain design philosophies, if not settings and characters. I have high hopes for it, but I understand your concerns.