Ken Levine, director of BioShock Infinite, reflects on the unexpected closure of Irrational Games following the game's success. He describes the decision by Take-Two Interactive as "complicated," revealing that the studio's shutdown came as a surprise to most, including himself. While he intended to leave Irrational, he expected the studio to continue operating. "I thought they were going to continue. But it wasn’t my company," he stated in a recent interview with Edge Magazine.

Levine acknowledges personal struggles during BioShock Infinite's development, impacting his leadership abilities. He emphasizes his efforts to ensure a smooth transition for the Irrational team, providing generous severance packages and support. He even suggests that a BioShock remake would have been a suitable project for the studio to undertake post-Infinite.

The news of Irrational's closure, following BioShock Infinite's release in 2013, sent shockwaves through the gaming community. This event occurred amidst a period of industry-wide layoffs and restructuring, highlighting the instability within the video game development landscape.

With the upcoming BioShock 4, fans eagerly anticipate a new chapter in the series. The long development cycle and the speculation of an open-world setting fuel excitement, while also prompting reflection on the lessons learned from BioShock Infinite's release and the subsequent closure of Irrational Games. The game's development is being handled by Cloud Chamber Studios under 2K.