Well go ahead and cue the McDonald’s theme song, because I’m lovin’ it. Breaking news straight out of Irrational games hit the web yesterday, in light of some bizarre studio departures involving key personnel on the previous day. They consisted of two hum dingers.
First, Irrational was apparently testing a multiplayer mode for next year’s highly anticipated Bioshock Infinite, because oh my God suicide yourself. Plans included a possible “Spec Ops” mode that would allow for some sort of campaign separate co-op, which makes me want to defecate down my own throat if I could, in addition to a Tower Defense mode that would have been a fantastic pursuit since it didn’t suck quite enough in Assassin’s Creed Revelations. The best part about all of it, however, is the fact that for once in this oftentimes dirty dirty industry, someone actually thought to themselves “Wait, why am I doing this? Is this necessary? No? Well, screw this!” That “someone,” as far as I’m concerned, just has to be Mr. Creative Director (a.k.a. Jesus Christ himself) Ken Levine. If you don’t agree with that declaration, you will be proven wrong based on facts, i.e. Ken is Jewish in the real lifes, and people weep in his presence after he heals their inner poisons with his magical game fingers.
In all seriousness, I wasn’t shocked at all to hear that this was planned. The industry has developed this decree in the last five years that every game that sells well but not “Call of Duty well” will automatically spike in sales by adding a multiplayer mode. You’ve heard this rant before, I’m sure, so I’ll avoid starting another one, but I just wanted to say that it DOES surprise me that someone actually had the stones to realize that this just doesn’t fit in some cases, and firmly refused to cater/pander to the masses, publisher pressure, or whatever countless forms of idiocy it requires to spurn this type of misguided direction. It’s all a paradox, as it seems, because then I’m right back to “not surprised” mode again in the end just knowing that it’s the developer that makes Bioshock behind this, the same developer that employs Ken Levine. Basically, I’m not shocked Ken would make this decision, I’m just trying to say that because he did, I LOVE IT and I want to tell you how much. LOVE IT MUCH.
Furthermore, the other topic of relevance is that Rod Fergusson, the director of production at Epic Games (a fairly important title, I’d say), has jumped ship from North Carolina to Boston to work for Irrational. I can’t really say much more, because no one actually involved has said much more to begin with, but all I know is that this is huge. Irrational definitely lost a lot of great, loyal talent in recent memory, including but not limited to art director Nate Wells, Chris Remo, and Steve Gaynor, but replacing one of those guys with Rod Fergusson, of all people, is a nice little coup for the team. I mean, the guy has been director of production at the studio that lists the UNREAL ENGINE, Gears of War, Infinity Blade, etc, to its list of things it has produced. I’d say you can’t complain about having that guy on your team, regardless of the circumstances.
Even if Bioshock Infinite DID have multiplayer, it would still be 2013′s Game of The Year for me, and I can call that right now. Instead, the MP was scrapped, and now a highly experienced industry man with an impressive resume has joined the already magnificently talented studio. I’d say that this game should come with the GOTY! sticker on the box (that normally gets stamped a year after release) at launch.
Give me the Bioshocks, all of the Bioshocks. Ken walks on water. I excite.
Bioshock Infinite multiplayer cancelled [Destructoid]
