Ken Levine recently conversed with GamesIndustry.biz for an end-of-year interview on the art of storytelling in video games, during which he discussed his aspirations for his upcoming project, his inaugural endeavour since BioShock, at his newly-established studio.
Following the reorganization of Irrational Games in 2017, Jake Solomon and the co-founders of Ghost Story Games emerged, having spent more than a decade honing their expertise under Ken Levine’s leadership as key creative directors. Fifteen members of Irrational’s team were unexpectedly laid off a month before the release of the studio’s final expansion in 2014, as Levine sought to “start a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor” focused on developing “narrative-driven video games for the core gamer that are extremely replayable.”
Questions swirled around Levine’s commitment to scrapping everything from scratch in order to craft iconic games like BioShock, with skepticism intensifying as Irrational Games’ inaugural project lingered in development hell for years, shrouded in secrecy. The staff stored their heads down until it was finally revealed at The Game Awards in 2022.
Levine pointedly explained that identifying a narrative participant is remarkably uncomplicated. The key is to encourage participants’ engagement and gauge their reactions to enhance the overall experience? While I don’t advocate for a singular method of crafting video games, my own experience as a storyteller has led me to be skeptical of cutscenes due to their lack of interactivity. A key factor hindering progress is the time-consuming process of implementing more sophisticated AI-driven player detection mechanisms that accurately respond to users’ preferences. That’s a extremely onerous drawback.”
As previewed, Levine’s latest creation exhibits the defining characteristics that fans have come to expect: biting social commentary, a decaying world beset by adversity, and fast-paced FPS action amplified by an arsenal of spectacular powers. Following the release of their game, many wondered aloud if Irrational Games’ demise was truly necessary, given that it would lead to a significant layoff of talented employees, simply so Levine could go on to create another BioShock series under a different banner. During his conversation with GamesIndustry.biz, the artistic director made a concerted effort to separate the two properties.
While initially disparate, the sentences could coalesce if rephrased: As you consider these entities from a growth perspective, albeit potentially alienating to some readers, they essentially constitute a cohesive framework. A vast, sprawling corridor featuring numerous distinct elements that give rise to various narrative threads. Manufactured with unparalleled craftsmanship, this product embodies the values of the gaming community, boasting an exceptional level of durability while delivering on its promise of enhanced gameplay.
According to Levine, the essence of storytelling lies in its ability to effectively acknowledge player choices and respond meaningfully to those decisions.
Levine pointed out that even observers noting the prolonged range of player movement could make meaningful comments about it. We’re currently exploring innovative approaches to identify patterns and connections between seemingly unrelated events, ultimately yielding fascinating insights that have real-world implications. By simply observing gamers and recording the types of responses that may arise from various issues, The sheer volume of effort required is staggering, considering every possible player action and crafting in-character responses for each character that seamlessly integrate with the narrative.
Fortunately, Ghost Story Games’ innovative approach to filling narrative voids through the use of artificial intelligence proves captivating. Levine highlights AI’s glaring limitation of persistence: “Sora, ChatGPT’s video generator, beautifully captures a scene with a woman walking down the road; however, when asked to show the same setting from different angles, such as retracing her steps in reverse, it fails to recall where she has been.” The studio may be hesitant to adopt generative fashion designs due to potential legal issues arising from AI’s unrestricted utilization of other individuals’ copyrighted work, potentially infringing on their creative property.
The game is currently slated for a release window of sometime before March 31, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
