Irrational Games
2K Games is laying off an unspecified number of employees at Cloud Chamber, the developer of BioShock 4 as part of its “rework” efforts. At the same time, it is bringing in Rod Fergusson, the former Gears of War and Diablo lead, as the head of the BioShock franchise.
As reported by IGN, 2K’s president David Ismailer sent an email to the workers, saying: “While we’re excited about the foundational gameplay elements of the project, we’ve made the decision with studio leadership to rework certain aspects that are core to a BioShock game, and in doing so are reducing the size of the development team to focus on this work and give the game more time in development.”
“I recognize that today is a day of mixed emotions,” he said. “We’re excited to have Rod joining us, and are equally grateful to everyone at Cloud Chamber who has helped us get this far. These changes are rooted in 2K’s firm confidence in BioShock as one of the most beloved franchises, and our commitment to deliver the best game in franchise history.”
Irrational Games
Fergusson left Blizzard earlier this month. He commented on his return on X/Twitter, saying that he’d be overseeing development of the next BioShock game, along with franchise extensions like the in-development Netflix movie.
“While I’m excited to get started in the coming weeks, I recognize the studio restructuring is a difficult time for the team. I’m deeply grateful for the work done so far, and I’m committed to building a BioShock game we’ll be proud of and that our players will love.”
The news of the layoffs is especially sad, considering that last year, Cloud Chamber rolled out over 30 positions at its Montreal-based studio. I wonder if 2K “saved” money this way to attract Fergusson.
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