DAMN IT: Ken Levine personally informs fans that Bioshock Infinite will not release in 2012
We all know delays are an inevitability in games today. We may not like it, but at some point the development process is just too truncated to do justice to the kind of story, gameplay, or experience a studio is trying to achieve. So, too, is the case with Bioshock Infinite, it seems. While originally slated for a 2012 release, Ken Levine, in a statement on the Irrational Games website, has stated quite simply that the game they want to make will need a little more time in the oven. And to make sure that no further delays are encountered, the game will not be shown in any capacity at either E3, which is rapidly approaching, or the European video game summit Gamescom.
“Since [our original announcement], we’ve come to realize that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary. Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need, we’ve decided to move the game’s release to February 26, 2013. We wanted to let our loyal (and very patient!) fans know this as soon as possible…We are also going to hold off on showing BioShock Infinite at the big events of the summer, like E3 and Gamescom. That way, the next time you see our game, it will be essentially the product we intend to put in the box. Preparing for these events takes time away from development, time we’re going to use instead to get the best version of Infinite into your hands in February.” – Ken Levine
While there’s no mention of any convention beyond Gamescom, it would be batty for the game not to make any appearance at any convention (i.e. PAX Prime or NYCC) prior to its release. Also, due to its new February release window, the game will be out before PAX East 2013. That’s not to say 2K wouldn’t showcase it there. It is just very unusual for such a high profile title to get zero con exposure prior to its release. But if there is any game that can live on expectation and hype alone, it’s got to be Bioshock Infinite. And Ken Levine knows that the fans have been extremely patient so far. His team just wants people to remain patient for a wee bit longer than originally expected, something that is never easy for developers to ask of their fan base. But Ken thinks gamers will appreciate the result.
“I won’t kid you: BioShock Infinite is a very big game, and we’re doing things that no one has ever done in a first-person shooter. We had a similar experience with the original BioShock, which was delayed several months as our original ship date drew near. Why? Because the Big Daddies weren’t the Big Daddies you’ve since come to know and love. Because Andrew Ryan’s golf club didn’t have exactly the right swing. Because Rapture needed one more coat of grimy Art Deco. The same principle now applies to BioShock Infinite.” – Ken Levine
And with that, we return to the Bioshock Infinite waiting game. Hopefully the passage of time between now and February 2013 will be rewarded with some excellent videos, trailers, screenshots, and maybe, just maybe, and opportunity to actually take the game for a test drive at some point in the future. Until then, we’ll just have to keep looking toward the sky in anticipation of the day Columbia floats, gracefully, into view.
The full statement by Ken Levine can be found here
Bioshock Infinite is scheduled to be released on February 26th, 2013 for PC, 360, and PS3
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