Irrational Games Laying Off Nearly All Staff To Focus On Digital Games

Irrational Games, developer of BioShock and BioShock Infinite, among other titles, will be going through some major changes. In a statement posted on the studio’s website, founder Ken Levine says that Irrational will cut its staff down to just 15 members, who will focus on making “narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable.” According to Levine, these games will only be released digitally and will take a very long time to develop.

Levine says that some of the laid off staff members will be able to seek opportunities at other studios belonging to Take-Two Interactive, which owns Irrational Games. There will be also be a recruitment day for other studios to interview former Irrational staff.

Irrational Games was founded by Jon Chey, Rob Fermier and Levine in 1997. The studio’s last game, the highly praised BioShock Infinite, was released on March 26th, 2013. Part two of the game’s Burial at Sea DLC is set to arrive on March 25 and it will unfortunately be the last project from the studio before its drastic transformation.

What do you think about these changes to Irrational Games? Are you excited about the possibilities, or do you prefer the studio’s old form? Tell us in the comments section below.