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‘BioShock Infinite’ Developer Irrational Games Is No More
Irrational Games, as we know it, is no more.
The powerhouse of creativity and innovation that’s brought us one critically acclaimed and hugely influential video game after the next — including System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite — is undergoing a massive transformation.
This is the team that took us from the failed underwater utopia of Rapture to the floating city of Columbia. They introduced us to SHODAN, the Big Daddy, to Elizabeth Comstock. They made games that pushed the envelope, proving video games can indeed be art. Irrational’s portfolio is proof that this is an industry that can offer powerful, emotional, and unforgettable experiences. It’s a studio that I’ve been honored to report on here at Bloody Disgusting.
In a letter written by studio head Ken Levine, he describes the transformation as a “winding down”. “I’ll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two. That is going to mean parting ways with all but about fifteen members of the Irrational team. There’s no great way to lay people off, and our first concern is to make sure that the people who are leaving have as much support as we can give them during this transition.”
Levine isn’t going anywhere. We’ll see more from the intensely talented writer soon, and his plan for the future of the remaining Irrational team sounds much like what the developer offered in the past.
“In time we will announce a new endeavor with a new goal: To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable. To foster the most direct relationship with our fans possible, we will focus exclusively on content delivered digitally.” wrote Levine.
Losing Irrational Games is a monumental blow to the video games industry. I’ve been a fan since their debut title, System Shock 2, and while this news is more than a little painful to write, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what comes next. I dare say the possibilities are infinite.
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The best part about engaging with collaborative genre fiction on the internet is that anyone can get in on the action, with worldwide accessibility often resulting in absurd story beats that wouldn’t be possible if any single person was responsible for the entire narrative. And while Kane Parsons’ Backrooms film is definitely the young filmmaker’s own unique take on the infamous creepypasta, it’s fun to see other creators join the Backrooms sandbox now that the big screen adaptation is getting ready for a record-shattering opening weekend.
As if cleverly timed releases like Puppet Combo’s The Backrooms game weren’t enough (not to mention that Scary Movie poster poking fun at Parsons’ flick), McDonald’s official social media accounts have now released an analog horror video of their own celebrating the liminal terrors of the McRooms – complete with a familiar purple surprise at the end of the footage.
While it’s funny enough to see the world’s most recognizable Fast Food giant engage with internet-borne Found Footage thrills seemingly out of the blue, the video is actually referencing a long-running gag among the Backrooms fandom where creators jokingly talk about there being a fully functional McDonald’s restaurant hidden somewhere in level 0 of the infamous liminal labyrinth.
Now, would it be too much to hope for a moist-carpet-flavored McShake to tie in with the film?
Backrooms is now playing only in theaters from A24.
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