Irrational Games was a video game developer
founded in 1997 by three former employees
of Looking Glass Studios: Ken Levine, Jonathan
Chey, and Robert Fermier as Irrational Games.
On January 9, 2006, Take-Two Interactive announced
that they had purchased Irrational, and would
publish their games under the 2K Games label.
At its largest point Irrational had two studios,
one in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA just outside
Boston, Massachusetts and the other in Canberra,
Australia.
A third studio, 2K Marin, was split off from
2K Boston in 2007, with five former Irrational
Games employees leaving to join the new company.
2K Marin worked with 2K Australia on BioShock
2.
The Canberra studio separated from the Boston
studio at some point after 2007, and merged
with 2K Marin in 2010.
In late July 2010, several media outlets reported
that a recently created website, whatisicarus.com,
was a promotion relating to Irrational Games'
unannounced project.
The following week, information about the
game was again teased, with the trailer confirmed
for release on August 12, 2010.
It turned out to be BioShock Infinite.
Ken Levine announced on February 18, 2014
that Irrational Games will be closing down,
with fifteen members of the staff to follow
Levine to focus on digital-download, narrative-driven
games for Take-Two.
Levine stated "I am winding down Irrational
Games as you know it.
I’ll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial
endeavor at Take-Two."
History
1997 – Boston studio formed by former Looking
Glass Studios employees Ken Levine, Jonathan
Chey, and Robert Fermier.
1999 – System Shock 2 released to critical
acclaim.
2000 – Irrational Canberra opens, with Jonathan
Chey taking the helm.
Deep Cover is cancelled.
2002 – Legal issues with publisher Crave
Entertainment result in the development of
The Lost being halted.
2004 – Irrational designers Ed Orman and
Dean Tate awarded "Best Design" in the Australian
Game Developer Awards, as well as the studio
receiving "Best Game of 2004" and "Best PC
Game".
2005 – Irrational's Boston studio moves
to larger office space in Quincy, Massachusetts.
The studio retains the "Irrational Games Boston"
title.
2006 – Irrational is acquired by Take-Two
Interactive, under the 2K Games publishing
arm.
2007 – Irrational Games is renamed to 2K
Boston and 2K Australia on August 10.
BioShock released August 21 to wide critical
acclaim and strong sales.
2010 - 2K Boston announces its return to its
original name, "Irrational Games" on January
8.
2K Australia merges with 2K Marin and announces
XCOM on April 14.
Shortly after BioShock was released, rumors
arose that many of the staff who had worked
on the game were leaving 2K Boston/Australia.
In 2007, five members of the 2K Boston team
moved to a new 2K Games studio in Novato,
California.
Soon after, 2K Games announced the formation
of 2K Marin in Novato.
Before Irrational started development on BioShock
Infinite, the studio did preliminary work
for the XCOM project that later became The
Bureau: XCOM Declassified.
Closing of the studio
On 18 February 2014 it was announced by Ken
Levine via an open letter posted on the Irrational
Games Website that Irrational Games would
be closing.
All but fifteen members of the Irrational
Games staff would get laid off with the team
helping them to find new jobs within and outside
of 2K Games and that 2K was now in charge
of the BioShock IP.
A career day was hosted by Irrational Games
for the remaining 75 employees to help seek
employment at 57 other studios.
Levine and the 15 remaining members of the
team would be creating new, smaller games
focusing on a replayable narrative for the
core gamers.
It was said that Levine's studio will continue
to keep the Irrational name, although Take-Two
later stated that it was not true.
The studio's games will be released digitally
with Take-Two/2K Games funding and publishing
them.
List of video games
Cancelled video games
Deep Cover
Division 9
Monster Island
The Lost
Freedom Force 3
Untitled BioShock Vita game
References
External links
Irrational Games
Irrational Games
2K Boston
2K Australia
Irrational Games profile on MobyGames
