Former BioShock Studio Irrational Games Adopts A New Name

Irrational Games underwent a major change back in February 2014, effectively shutting down the studio that had been responsible for games like BioShock, BioShock Infinite, and SWAT 4. Today, the small group formed in its wake announced that it's adopted a new name.

Irrational is now known as Ghost Story, it said today in a post on its new website. "Ghost Story was founded by twelve former Irrational Games developers and our mission is simple: to create immersive, story-driven games for people who love games that ask something of them," it said. "While we believe our new games will have strong appeal to fans of BioShock, our new focus allows us to craft experiences where the gameplay is as challenging as the stories."

Unfortunately, it doesn't have any details to share about its games beyond that. There are some brief quotes from various Ghost Story employees on the website. In one, technical lead Jeremy Carson notes it's working on a new IP.

Regarding the studio, senior animator Seth Kendall said, "Real focus on making core games for core gamers. Emphasis on making games with inspiring and intriguing story and characters, with a high quality bar for execution. Deep interest in finding innovative solutions to problems that have plagued game development for decades. The world and IP we are creating is richly specific and original, and conveys both wonder and nostalgia."

When the changes to Irrational were first announced, co-founder Ken Levine said he knew the team would need "a long period of design."

"I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more direct relationship with gamers," he said in 2014. "In many ways, it will be a return to how we started: a small team making games for the core gaming audience."

"When I first contemplated what I wanted to do, it became very clear to me that we were going to need a long period of design. Initially, I thought the only way to build this venture was with a classical startup model, a risk I was prepared to take," he added. "But when I talked to Take-Two about the idea, they convinced me that there was no better place to pursue this new chapter than within their walls. After all, they're the ones who believed in and supported BioShock in the first place."

In late 2015, Take-Two teased that the new game will be "highly creative and innovative."

We'll have more details on Ghost Story and its projects as they're announced.