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Borderlands, BioShock and XCOM are headed to the Switch
As part of today's surprise Nintendo Direct Mini (which packed in way more news than anything "Mini" should reasonably offer), it emerged several big 2K Games franchises are coming to Switch. All three BioShock games -- BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 Remastered and BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition -- will hit the console May 29th, along with BioShock: The Collection, which bundles the titles into a neat package.
Xbox Live Deals with Gold: Wolfenstein, BioShock series
Those that missed out on the final day of the Xbox 360 Ultimate Games Sale yesterday have more deals to look forward to this week on Xbox Live. Both paid and free Xbox Live subscribers can enjoy a 33 percent discount on Wolfenstein: The New Order for Xbox One as well as four XBLA games for Xbox 360 at half price: Quake Arena, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Doom 2. Each of these deals are good from July 17 to July 20 only. As for the rest of the week's deals, starting today through July 21 for Xbox Live Gold subscribers only, Xbox One owners can pick up Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare at 40 percent off. The BioShock series received major discounts on Xbox 360 this week, with BioShock and BioShock 2 now available at a quarter of their respective prices and BioShock Infinite slashed by 57 percent. Four pieces of DLC for the latter game are on sale this week as well; both the Clash in the Clouds and Columbia's Finest add-ons are half-off, whereas both Burial at Sea episodes are 33 percent off. [Image: Bethesda Softworks]
Humble 2K Bundle offers up BioShock trilogy, The Darkness 2
Publisher 2K Games headlines today's newly launched Humble Bundle, offering Steam-redeemable versions of BioShock, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and other featured games for a price of your choosing. All bundle buyers receive copies of 2K's undersea FPS BioShock, comic book-based action game The Darkness 2, and alternate-history shooter The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. Purchases that exceed the bundle's average purchase price will also receive BioShock 2, Mafia 2 and Spec Ops: The Line, and customers who pay $20 or more will get bonus copies of BioShock Infinite and XCOM: Enemy Unknown. A buyer-chosen portion of proceeds benefits the American Red Cross and Action Against Hunger charities. The Humble 2K Bundle will be available through July 22. [Image: 2K Games]
Gone Home co-creator opens new studio 'Dim Bulb Games'
Johnnemann Nordhagen, the programmer behind critical darling Gone Home, has opted to form his own studio. "Hi Twitter. I'm starting a new game development studio: Dim Bulb Games," Nordhagen recently tweeted, alongside a link to the new studio's website. Visiting that URL offers no further information on the developer's plans, though it does offer an official logo and a notification that Dim Bulb is "[a]n independent game studio based in San Francisco." Alongside his work in Gone Home, Nordhagen's resume also includes the Minerva's Den DLC for BioShock 2, an addition that many fans hold in higher regard than the original game. [Image: Dim Bulb Studios]
'BioShock' series lives on with help from the second game's dev team
The news that BioShock and BioShock Infinite developer Irrational Games was winding down was a punch to the gut for many last year, but it turns out there is a bit of silver lining. The franchise will live on with developer 2K Marin, the studio that handled BioShock 2, according to GameSpot. Someone at the Cowen and Company analyst conference apparently made a remark that the BioShock series hadn't quite reached its commercial potential yet, and Take-Two Interactive head Strauss Zelnick agreed, saying that the NorCal team would be responsible for its "shepherding going forward." BioShock 2 did pretty okay critically and commercially, but many (including myself) felt its tour through Rapture was little more than a retread and that it lacked the first game's magic. With how Infinite ended, it's anyone's guess where the series' fiction could wind up next.
PSN Spring Fever franchise deals include Call of Duty, GTA
If the seven games debuting on PSN this month at discounted rates don't spice up Sony's Spring Fever sale enough for your liking, the sale will also include sales on four different franchises. Games and DLC in the Call of Duty, Need for Speed, BioShock and Grand Theft Auto series are on sale at varying points in March for all PSN users. The sale spans five games in the Need for Speed series, each down to $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus subscribers) tomorrow through March 10. Those games include Need for Speed: Most Wanted on both PS3 and Vita, Hot Pursuit on PS3, The Run on PS3 and Carbon on PSP and Vita. The Call of Duty series continues on March 11 through March 17 and features a variety of game and DLC bundles for Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops and Black Ops 2. Both Black Ops games can be purchased together for $69.99 ($62.99 on PS Plus) as well as all three Modern Warfare games for $64.99 ($58.49 for PS Plus members). Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series rolls in next on March 18 with sales lasting through March 24. The sale knocks GTA 5 down to $39.99, GTA 4 to $5.99 ($4.79 on PS Plus) as well as a handful of other PS3 and PSP games in the series ranging from $5.99 each ($4.79 for PS Plus) to $2.99 each ($2.39 on PS Plus). Lastly, the first two games in the BioShock series will also be $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus members) March 25 through March 31. Those games are joined by BioShock Infinite's Burial at Sea Episode 1 DLC for $10.40 ($7.34 on PS Plus) as well as Columbia's Finest Pack and Clash in the Clouds for $3.49 each ($2.44 on PS Plus). [Image: Rockstar Games]
2K offering three-game Holiday Bundles for $30 each
If you want to surprise your loved ones with a generous and value-conscious bouquet of shooters and strategy games on Christmas morning, 2K Games has you covered with its newly announced lineup of $29.99 Holiday Bundles for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Players who missed out on some of this generation's best first-person shooters (and who aren't averse to the occasional tactical strategy game) may enjoy 2K's Essentials Collection, which includes the original BioShock, Borderlands, and XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The Rogues and Outlaws Collection is an obvious choice for any rogues and outlaws in your immediate family, serving up copies of Borderlands 2, Spec Ops: The Line and Mafia 2. Finally, those who enjoy games with the number "2" in the title will love the 2K Power Pack, which offers BioShock 2, Mafia 2, and The Darkness 2. 2K is also offering a Definitive Strategy Collection, which includes the PC versions of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Sid Meier's Civilization V. All bundles (except for the Rogues and Outlaws Collection, which is a Walmart exclusive) are available at Amazon, GameStop, Walmart, and Best Buy.
Report: Bureau, BioShock 2 developer allegedly done for
Yesterday's confirmed layoffs at 2K Marin, developer of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and BioShock 2, may have been simply the prelude to the long goodbye. Several outlets are reporting the classified story behind the story is that 2K Marin won't be around much longer. A source tells RockPaperShotgun that the studio is "essentially" done, while Polygon has a source saying they are "100 percent sure" 2K Marin in its current incarnation is closed. Allegedly, folks not picked up by Rod Fergusson's new studio for 2K Games in the San Francisco Bay area were the ones let go. During its six-year history, 2K Marin had the unfortunate task of working on the games that, despite critical acclaim, "nobody asked for" – as expressed in the modern parlance.
BioShock 2 re-released on Steam with Minerva's Den
2K Games has relaunched its undersea first-person shooter BioShock 2 on Steam, bundling it with add-on content and stripping away its once-restrictive Games for Windows Live integration. The Steam version of BioShock 2 includes the base game and all previously-released multiplayer downloadable content, along with the "Protector's Trials" single-player DLC. The story-driven add-on "Minerva's Den" is available separately for $4.99. Previously, BioShock 2 was only available as a Games for Windows Live release, leaving players without access to its DLC following the recent closure of the GFWL marketplace. Players who purchased BioShock 2 on disc or via Games for Windows Live can get a Steam copy bundled with all available DLC by following these instructions.
BioShock PC triple pack on Amazon for $20
Booker, are you scared of deals? Get BioShock, BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite right now from Amazon's digital distribution service for $20. Yup, all three. Not ready to commit to Infinite? Well, then, you could grab Rapture vacation specials BioShock and BioShock 2 for $5. We're not sure anything from the CIrcus of Values costs less. So take a bathysphere over to Amazon for the BioShock triple pack or dual pack if you're interested. You know, free will and all that.
BioShock series on sale at Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming is offering big discounts on the BioShock series. The original BioShock and the 2K Marin-made sequel, BioShock 2, are $5 each, while BioShock Infinite is down to $20. The discounts don't extend to the recently released arena combat mode, Clash in the Clouds. Two more add-ons have been announced for BioShock Infinite, including a return trip to Rapture in Burial at Sea and a following episode where players will assume the role of Elizabeth.
BioShock 2 creative director Jordan Thomas leaves Take-Two
Jordan Thomas, creative director at BioShock 2 developer 2K Marin, has left the company. His departure should have no effect on the studio's current project, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, which he moved away from in early 2012, he tells GI.biz. Thomas makes his exit from the company to go indie with an unnamed partner and work on his own projects. He came to the decision after helping Irrational Games finish work on BioShock Infinite. "It cemented for me that while BioShock spoke to me, it'll never be for me what it is for Ken. I've expanded that legacy here and there, but I could never have created it from scratch. I need to build something that is, to me, what BioShock is to Ken. No matter how long it takes, I have to start now." Thomas already has a game in mind, of course: He wants to take some of the ideals found in Thief and BioShock and apply them "with a radically different focus." If it's well-received, Thomas says "we might expand the vision and explore further dimensions of the same theme with more content producers. But we'd love to keep it as lean as possible for now, in the hopes that we're not writing checks our asses can't cash. Indie ambition is its greatest strength and its greatest weakness."
2K sales week kicks off on XBLM
A sizable selection of games and add-ons from publisher 2K Games are now on sale on Xbox Live Marketplace. The deals, which include half-off on the Mechromancer Pack from Borderlands 2 (400 MSP), the same discount for BioShock 2 on Games on Demand ($9.99), and a beefy 75 percent off XBLA games Axel & Pixel and The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (200 MSP each), all come to an end on January 14.The full list of on-sale games and add-ons awaits you after the break.
Steam Holiday Sale, day 10: Skyrim, BioShock, Grand Theft Auto franchise sales and more
Have you guys ever noticed how our money and a Steam Holiday Sale are never in the same room at the same time? Like, the same way that no one has ever seen Bruce Wayne and the Batman together in the same place? It's just weird, is all; almost as if our money was somehow being removed by the sale, or something.Some mysteries will never be solved, we suppose. Today's Steam Holiday Sale offerings include 50 to 75 percent off of Skyrim, its DLC and its predecessors, 75 percent off various Grand Theft Auto games, BioShock and BioShock 2 for a collective $10, 75 percent off both Witcher games, Galactic Civilizations I and II for $6.24 and Payday: The Heist for $5.
Free BioShock 2 for PS Plus members starting tomorrow
BioShock 2, a game whose appreciation is a bit of a slow burn, will be free for PlayStation Plus members following tomorrow's PSN Tuesday update. If you're interested in spending some money on BioShock 2, there's always the well-conceived Minerva's Den add-on.Other highlights for Plus members tomorrow include Rockstar Game Collection 1 (Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, L.A. Noire and Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition) for 10 percent off at $53.99. There's also Puddle for half off at $3.50 on PS3 and $2.80 on Vita.%Gallery-100380%
BioShock 2, Call of Duty 4 and more OS X games on sale
With Thanksgiving just a week away in the US, several Mac game publishers already are dropping the prices on their Mac App Store titles in celebration. We're talking some steep discounts on some triple-A games, including: Galaxy on Fire 2 Full HD on sale for $9.99, down from $19.99. Bastion on sale for $6.99, down from $14.99. Tomb Raider: Underworld on sale for $9.99, down from $24.99. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on sale for $4.99, down from $19.99. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on sale for $7.99, down from $29.99. BioShock 2 on sale for $11.99, down from $24.99. These are all great titles that we can recommend without hesitation. If there's a particular game you've had your eye on but don't see here, make sure to check the Mac App Store to find out if it's also on sale, since chances are it very well could be.
Captain Scarlett hails Mr. Bubbles in Borderlands 2 'Pirate Booty' DLC
There's an interesting easter egg in the new Borderlands 2 DLC, Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty. The iconic Big Daddy (AKA Mr. Bubbles) from the BioShock series makes an appearance at some point in the add-on adventure and – well, we don't want to ruin it for you. In the interest of spoilers, we've embedded the video showing off the Pandora version of everyone's favorite child social worker past the break.
BioShock 'Ultimate Rapture Edition' packing first two BioShocks and DLC into one box
BioShock Infinite may not arrive until 2013, but the underwater world of Rapture is getting a re-release, at least in the UK, in the form of "BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition." A British Board of Film Classification listing was spotted by Eurogamer (since pulled) that outs the bundle, which apparently includes both BioShock 1 and 2, as well as "all its DLC add-ons."Publisher 2K Games hasn't confirmed the repackaging or given any official details on it, so it's unclear if the bundle will head Stateside or stay in the UK. As BioShock 2 launched with a "Rapture Edition" that was specific to the UK, it stands to reason that this is the UK-specific bundle.Update: 2K Games reps tell Joystiq, "We have nothing to announce at this time." So, like, soon then, right?
Three ex-BioShock devs form The Fullbright Company
Three of the developers behind recent BioShock games have started their own studio, called The Fullbright Company, with the simple goal to "make a great game." The Fullbright Company is Steve Gaynor, Johnnemann Nordhagen and Karla Zimonja. As Gaynor describes it, perhaps their goal isn't so "simple" after all:"A memorable experience that you'll be drawn into, and keep thinking about after the game's turned off, and want to come back to again someday. An experience that gets away from the constraints of ossified game genres, while relying on what we're good at as a team: creating immersive places to inhabit, and a deep, personal story to explore at your own pace. A nonviolent game in an unfantastical locale; an experience that not many games provide, built out of techniques that only video games can employ."The trio have worked on BioShock 2, Minerva's Den, BioShock Infinite and XCOM. Gaynor wrote and was design lead on Minerva's Den, if that gives anyone confidence in this new studio. Fullbright promises more updates and information on its site "soon."
Seen@PAX East: Bomberman says hello
Someone tried to tell us this was a character from the BioShock universe, but we think we recognize Bomberman when we see him.
