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BioShock's Ken Levine Opens Up on Podcast

Levine talks candidly about the mammoth franchise 
by Joe Wilcock on June 07, 2023   



In a recent interview on the Sacred Symbols podcast, game designer Ken Levine opened up about his departure from the BioShock series. Levine shed light on the pressures that come with achieving success and the expectations placed on developers to constantly outdo themselves.

Following the release of BioShock Infinite, Levine felt trapped by the need to surpass his own creations. He didn't want to be locked into a cycle of competing against himself and raising the bar with each new game. As a result, he decided to shift his focus to a different project, one that remained a well-kept secret for many years.

Here's a snippet from Levine's interview, and you can listen to the full podcast below: 

"I know how dumb this may sound. I know I'm super lucky to have a game that was successful, but it does sort of trap you in a way, right. Because you're like 'okay, I've done that thing now, and now I've got to do it again.'

Before, my expectation with BioShock was...Irrational co-founder Jon Chey and I used to joke like 'oh, if we sell a million copies of the game, our lives could end then and we could be perfectly happy.

But it sold a lot more than that. Then it's like oh, what if you don't sell? There's a bunch of static--what does that mean? I think it can lead to some unhealthy thinking about competing with yourself.

I remember that I came in, we had the [BioShock Infinite] announcement in New York in 2009, and one of my favorite editors told me 'Ken, you know, they were all supporting you last time because you were an underdog. This time they're going to come after you.' I thought that he was probably right. That's the natural cycle of things--I wasn't singled out. Everybody's rooting for the underdog and if they have a big success then sort of everyone's looking to them to stumble a little bit. It's a totally natural thing.

I had decided, and this was on me, that I wanted an even bigger audience. I wanted a kind of Call of Duty blockbuster. So a lot of Infinite was designed to try to appeal to an even broader audience.

The problem was that wasn't really the type of gamer I was. I don't really play a lot of multiplayer games because I'm not very good at them, and I tend to like weirder, nerdier games. I play mostly like indie roguelikes and strategy games, like XCOM. I loved Midnight Suns. I'm a huge fan of Jake Solomon, he's a genius.

I think I sort of became my own worst enemy a little bit in that, and one of the reasons I stopped doing BioShock games after that is that...okay, you can't lean on something. You can't compete against yourself again. That's not right and it's not a healthy way to live your life.

So I was not looking to do another BioShock game. I have nothing against BioShock, it's just that it wasn't super fun to work on because I sort of built a trap for myself."

- Ken Levine

The BioShock franchise emerged as a significant force in the gaming industry, captivating players with its immersive storytelling, atmospheric settings, and thought-provoking themes. The original BioShock, developed by Irrational Games and released in 2007, introduced players to the dystopian underwater city of Rapture. It received critical acclaim for its innovative gameplay mechanics, philosophical narrative, and stunning visuals. By 2010, it had sold over 4 million copies across various platforms.

Building on this success, BioShock 2 (2010) by 2K Marin explored Rapture's lore further, providing players with a different perspective as a Big Daddy, a formidable protector within the crumbling city. Despite a strong following and positive reviews, BioShock 2 faced the challenge of living up to its predecessor's legacy and experienced slightly lower sales, reaching around 3 million copies sold.
 


However, it was BioShock Infinite (2013), developed by Irrational Games under Ken Levine's direction, that revitalized the franchise. Departing from Rapture, the game transported players to the floating city of Columbia, brimming with political undertones and grappling with themes of American exceptionalism. BioShock Infinite garnered widespread critical acclaim and strong sales, with over 11 million copies sold by 2015.

Unfortunately, the success of BioShock Infinite proved challenging to sustain. Its development, plagued by delays and ambitious aspirations, led to ballooning costs. Despite selling well, the game's high budget and extensive production cycle impacted its profitability. Irrational Games faced downsizing, resulting in many key team members leaving the studio. This ultimately led to the demise of the BioShock franchise as a whole. We can only hold out hope that Cloud Chamber can restore the series to its former glory, despite reported development difficulties.
 


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