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Ken Levine: Why Irrational didn't do BioShock 2; What he thought of it
With the announcement of BioShock Infinite, you may be asking yourself, "Well, why did you bow out of doing Bioshock 2, Irrational Games, only to come back to the BioShock universe?" According to comments from IG head honcho Ken Levine during our recent interview, he "felt like we said what we wanted to say about Rapture." He went on to say, "that's one of the reasons BioShock 2 wasn't the right project for us and, as we agreed with the company, we didn't have the timeframe or the scale to make the product of the ambition we had." The sequel, which was developed mainly at 2K Marin and launched earlier this year, was also brought up by Eurogamer during its interview with Levine, though it was more concerned with his thoughts on how the sequel came out. "I think it's a very talented team," he said of developer 2K Marin, "and I think it fulfilled the mission of completing the story of Rapture."
BioShock 2 'Protector Trials' DLC delayed on PC
You probably already knew, considering the Bioshock 2 "Protector Trials" DLC is nowhere to be found on Games For Windows Live, but here it is in plain English anyway: it's been delayed. 2K Games' Elizabeth Tobey confirmed the delay in a post on the official 2K Games forums, citing that no date for the patch has been decided yet, but that we should all "stay tuned." We've put in some questions to 2K about the delay and when exactly the company hopes to launch the DLC on Games For Windows Live. We'll let you know what we hear back.
Single-player BioShock 2 add-on 'Minerva's Den' coming this fall
"Minerva's Den" will be BioShock 2's final piece of downloadable content when it arrives on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this fall. 2K Games announced the single-player focused expansion will have you taking control of an "all-new character," who teams up with Dr. Tenenbaum (looks like the game didn't completely forget about her) to "unravel a dictator's stranglehold" on the Rapture Central Computing district. Developed by 2K Marin, the expansion -- which has yet to receive a price -- will feature a "never-before-seen" type of Big Daddy, new plasmids and additional weaponry. Existing BioShock 2 DLC includes the multiplayer-focused "Metro Pack" and the "Protector's Trials" pack that surfaced earlier this week on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Amazon's FFXIII 360 bundle to include UFC 2010 and Bioshock 2 on August 2
Amazon's upping the ante to try and move more units of its recently discounted Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle. According to the retailer's Twitter account, the $300 package will come with free copies of UFC Undisputed 2010 and BioShock 2 when purchased this coming Monday.
BioShock 2 single-player 'Protector Trials' DLC due in August
Some of the most intense moments of BioShock 2 had the Proto-Daddy defending a Little Sister as she sucked precious ADAM from one of Rapture's many corpses. They were great fun, especially when integrated organically into the story. Never one to pass up exploiting something that's working well, 2K has announced that it'll turn those moments into "Protector Trials" DLC, six new single-player maps that are "based on favorite locales from BioShock 2" (so, new-ish?). In addition to the Little Sister-defending action, you'll get seven new Achievements or Trophies. 2K also claims another forthcoming add-on will "expand the narrative" of BioShock 2 -- but let's get the shooting monsters thing out of the way first. Protector Trials will be available on Xbox Live Marketplace (for 400 MS Points) and PlayStation Store (for $4.99) on August 3.
Take-Two Q2 revenue up to $268M, BioShock 2 sales 'lower than expected'
Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two has announced its financial results for its second fiscal quarter, which ended April 30, 2010. Net revenue of $268 million represented an increase of 54 percent over the $174.3 million recorded during the same quarter last year; a change that Take-Two attributes to sales of Major League Baseball 2K10, as well as the introduction of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City to PlayStation 3 and PC. In a related investor call, Take-Two Chief Financial Officer Lainie Goldstein noted that 32 perecent of revenue was driven by the publisher's catalog titles, including NBA 2K10 and Grand Theft Auto IV. And while BioShock 2 contributed to the increased revenue and became a profitable endeavor, Goldstein noted that the dystopian shooter incurred "lower than expected" sales. "The title was well-received by the media and was profitable for us," she said. "However, sales slowed down sooner than we had expected." Operating income for the quarter rose to $16.9 million (last year's second quarter represented a loss of $10.4 million), while total revenue for the company's first-half financial year totaled $431.2 million.
BioShock 2 on sale for $30 on Amazon today
There are plenty of ways to get to Rapture: You could survive a plane crash in the middle of an ocean; or be abducted by one of its citizens as a child. Heck, if you're a really good swimmer and can hold your breath for a long time, you probably have a decent shot. We're in favor of a safer, more practical alternative: Buy a copy of Bioshock 2. We're also in favor of the most frugal alternative: Amazon's Deal of the Day. Bioshock 2 is half-off today from the online retailer, available for $30 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 -- and the PC version is even cheaper: $26. Now, there's our idea of the perfect summer vacation: babysitting our little sister.
BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC coming to PC tomorrow
The expansive (and somewhat irreverent) "Metro Pack" DLC for the multiplayer portion of BioShock 2 will be available for the PC version of the game tomorrow. The pack includes six new maps, three new Achievements and a "Rebirth" feature which lets level 50 players restart their careers, and will be available on the Games for Windows Live Marketplace for 800 ($10). Players can also grab two new multiplayer characters for 160 ($2), and all players can grab the (sigh) golf clubs-only "Kill'Em Kindly" deathmatch mode for free. Of course, this expansion caused a handful of game-crashing issues for folks who purchased it on 360 and PS3 two weeks ago. Not to worry -- a patch for the game is also set to go live tomorrow, which we hope will preempt these issues. [Via Big Download]
New Gears, BioShock 2 toys coming exclusively to Comic-Con
Worried you'd never get a collectible based on Gears of War comic character Jace Stratton, a gentleman who has yet to put any face time into an actual Gears of War game series? Well quit it, worrywort! (You're only hurting yourself.) NECA recently told Toy News International that it'll be bringing Stratton -- and several BioShock 2 figures -- to the upcoming 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International for sale in limited quantities. We'd love to tell you more about the BioShock 2 figures, but we're not trying to ruin the end of the game for those of you who might still be wary of spoilers. You can have a look for yourself right here. [Via Kotaku]
Irrational releases the original BioShock pitch document
Every once in a while, our very plane of existence will be split into two by a major decision affecting the course of history, creating what scientists refer to as a "parallel universe." Less frequently, a window will open up which lets us catch a quick glimpse into the world of what might have been. Irrational Games threw open just such a window yesterday by releasing the pitch document for BioShock, which was planned to be a very different monster from the game we all know and love. Specifically, a sea monster. Some things in the document stayed true -- genetic modification was a major aspect of the pitch. Most of it ... well, let's just say we're glad things changed the way they did. We're not sure the story of Carlos Cuello, who must infiltrate a remote island run by cultists to rescue a wealthy heiress, would be quite so memorable. Also, those aforementioned genetic modifications give you traits of different sea creatures instead of regular ol' superpowers. Also, there was supposed to be multiplayer. Multiplayer! In BioShock! Have you ever heard of anything so preposterous?
New game sales up in GameStop's fiscal Q1
GameStop reported earnings for its fiscal first quarter (February–April). Sales are up five percent over the first quarter of 2009, to $2.08 billion. Some of that growth is no doubt due to strong sales of new games. The retailer announced that new software sales increased 13.3 percent in the quarter -- a trend that the GameStop should be happy to see, now that EA and THQ are taking aim at the used games business. The company identified five games in particular that drove revenue growth: Battlefield Bad Company 2, God of War 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and BioShock 2. We all love buying sequels at GameStop, apparently.
2K responds to BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC complaints
Joystiq has received numerous reports from BioShock 2 players who have been unable to play the new multiplayer maps since purchasing the Metro Pack DLC last week. Elizabeth Tobey, senior manager of interactive marketing for 2K, has responded to this issue on the 2K forums. It's not a glitch, but a design choice: 2K has not yet created a DLC-only online multiplayer playlist. Said Tobey, "We couldn't assume all players would purchase the new maps, so we made a design decision to unify the player base and make sure no one got split up." In order to play a new map in a public match, explained Tobey, all players in the match must own the DLC (obviously). If anyone doesn't have the DLC, the match automatically reverts to base maps. Tobey noted that the easiest way to play the new maps would be to set up a private match and indicated in a separate thread that the development team is considering the creation of a playlist exclusively for the Metro Pack maps. In the same thread, Tobey addressed another complaint about the new DLC involving the included Rebirth option, which lets rank 50 players reset their level in exchange for a special mask item. The feature is apparently wiping players' leaderboard ranking and online stats. Tobey assured that the BioShock 2 team is "looking into" the Rebirth issue. [Via Eurogamer] Source - 2K Forums Source - 2K Forums
BioShock 2 'Metro Pack' DLC re-dated May 11
2K has announced that the erroneously dated BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC now has an actual release date: Tuesday, May 11. The Metro Pack adds six maps to the multiplayer mode and will be available on PSN and Xbox Live for $10. 2K is also releasing some additional DLC alongside the Metro Pack. First up is a $2 character pack, which adds two new characters to multiplayer. In addition, players can also grab the free download for "Kill'Em'Kindly," a new multiplayer mode that has players "fight to the death with golf clubs." That disturbing, guttural sound you just heard was the collective "ugh" of everyone who has ever played the original BioShock.
BioShock 2 multiplayer patch coming soon to all platforms
Are you sick and tired of all the freezing and crashing going on while you're freezing and smashing opponents in BioShock 2 multiplayer? We can't say that we blame you. Fortunately, 2K is rolling out patches for the all three -- Xbox 360, PS3 and PC -- versions of the game that should alleviate connectivity issues, as well as a few other miscellaneous snafus. The patches are currently "in the final stages of testing," meaning we should be seeing them fairly soon. Click past the jump to see the full list of changes for each platform. [Via CVG]
2K on the challenge of marketing BioShock 2
Speaking with the[a]listdaily, 2K Games' Matt Gorman and Tom Bass discussed the marketing strategy behind BioShock 2. With BioShock being one of the best games of 2007, Bass saw its legacy as both "a blessing and a curse" for the sequel. The challenge was twofold, according to Bass, who said that 2K had to sell the game to fans who "weren't convinced that they needed a sequel" and also to newcomers who might not have been familiar with the original. At the same time, BioShock 2 was given much more attention from retailers thanks to the success of its predecessor. "With the second one, retail was super stoked for it and just the level of presence we were given was amazing," said Gorman, adding that the community built around the original helped to "evangelize" the sequel. Finally, Gorman said that the team was happy with the reception of BioShock 2, noting, "There were few times you could turn around and not see BioShock 2 during February."
Make an in-game BioShock 2 video, win the most dangerous prize ever
2K Games is currently holding a contest to see who can capture the "craziest" occurrences while playing BioShock 2. Mind you, the contest's definition of "crazy" isn't referring to that time you found a hilarious bug, or that time you got a 20-kill streak while playing online. Rather, the contest is looking for "I froze a Big Daddy, levitated him into the air, stuck a rocket on him, and sent him flying into a group of unaware Splicers." For a hint as to what your entries should look like, watch the video posted after the jump. The prize for the craziest video is a crisp, presumably novelty-sized check for $5,000, as well as a life-sized Big Daddy suit. Yes, the suit from this video. Yes, it's probably covered in the blood of 2K Marin's programmers. No, they probably won't clean that off for you.
BioShock 2 DLC trailer shows off new venues for mayhem
Want to see what won't be available this week in BioShock 2? 2K's new trailer for the downloadable Rapture Metro Pack, due sometime in the indefinite future, gives us an idea of what the new content will be like whenever it deigns to make an appearance. All six new multiplayer maps are highlighted in this trailer in gameplay footage -- hectic, hyper-violent gameplay footage depicting BioShock 2 multiplayer sessions. In fact, 2K seems intent upon filling every moment of this trailer with brutality, even to the point of showing someone blowing himself up by accident. Way to sell that content! Without any indication of a release date, we'll just play it safe and say that you'll be able to get your hands on these new maps sometime this year.
Just kidding about that 'BioShock 2 DLC coming this week' thing
Click to make so much bigger Boy, oh boy, is there egg all over your face. You all actually bought into last week's Xbox Live Newsbeat, which announced a new chunk of BioShock 2 DLC to be released April 29? Don't you recognize a goof when you see one? Allow us to educate you: That was totally a goof. A joke! A sham! Some good old-fashioned monkeyshines. A 2K representative recently sent out a clarification, explaining that the Rapture Metro Pack won't arrive this week -- however, he didn't specify as to when the new content will actually arrive. Fortunately, he also sent along two screenshots from the DLC pack, which are posted in the gallery below. But what if these are also goofs? Man, we just don't know who to trust anymore. %Gallery-91930%
Gamestop discounts FFXIII, BioShock 2 and more, offers free store credit
SlickDeals tipster DJ3xclusive recently unearthed a handful of handsome discounts currently being offered by Gamestop. Anyone who enters the coupon code "15NEW" while checking out from the retailer's online storefront can save 15 percent on a few games, such as Final Fantasy XIII ($43 after coupon), GTA: Episodes from Liberty City ($28), and BioShock 2 ($38). In addition, these three games come with an additional $10 credit to be used on future purchases. Better still, the code works on pre-orders of Super Mario Galaxy 2 ($42.50), which comes with $20 credit. The discount also applies to the BioShock 2 Collector's Edition ($68), Demon's Souls ($34) and Heavy Rain ($45), though these three don't come with the appended, complimentary 10-spot. Still, those are some pretty great deals. Or, if we could be so bold -- pretty slick deals?
Final Fantasy XIII and BioShock 2 costumes available today in Home
Your adventuring in Final Fantasy XIII may be coming to an end. You can show your fandom for the game by buying a five pound tub of hair gel and cosplaying at the next anime convention ... or you can buy a Final Fantasy XIII-themed outfit for PlayStation Home. Good news: you'll be able to take the easier option later with today's PlayStation Home update. Costumes for Lightning, Vanille, Sazh and Snow will all be available in the Costumes store in Sony's virtual world. In addition, you'll be able to rock costumes from BioShock 2 with purchasable Big Daddy and Big Sister costumes. Expect Home to have an interesting denizen of costumers this week.
