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20 2K Games titles available in one convenient Steam pack

by David Hinkle { Jul 3rd 2009 at 7:00PM }

Steam is offering an incredible deal on 20 of 2K Games' hottest titles in the 2K Huge Games Pack. Featuring well-known titles such as Bioshock and Civilization IV, the package is a steal at $53.99. In fact, that's only a few dollars more than that bunk Bioshock bundle, so if you've got the extra dough laying around and want some new games to play, we suggest you check this deal out.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

See the prototype Big Daddy prototypes from BioShock 2

by Justin McElroy { Jun 25th 2009 at 8:30PM }

As you're no doubt aware, you'll be playing as the very first Big Daddy in 2K Marin's upcoming BioShock 2. If you're craving a bit more insight into just how said Big Daddy came to be, 2K's just dropped some concept art showing the development of the hulking bruiser.

The final product looks cool, but are we the only ones that would have totally dug this armored Terminator Big Daddy? Just us? Fair enough.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Oblivion, Bioshock bundle doesn't feature Game of the Year edition

by David Hinkle { Jun 18th 2009 at 6:58PM }

Well, the Bioshock and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion bundle just got a lot less interesting. We put in word to Bethesda's Pete Hines asking which version of Oblivion would be included in the bundle, and he got back to us with this most sad news: It's the original game. That means it's not the Game of the Year edition including Shivering Isles, the lengthy expansion featuring the hilarious Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath.

Open world meets underwater in new Oblivion, Bioshock bundle [update]

by David Hinkle { Jun 17th 2009 at 3:35PM }

Update: Well, folks, Bethesda has confirmed our fears: The Oblivion included is not the Game of the Year edition. It's the original Oblivion release.

Bethesda, proprietor of large, navigable worlds both post-apocalyptic and, uh, pre-apocalyptic, has teamed up with 2K Games to offer a gaming bundle not seen since the days of the original Xbox, when you could get Jet Set Radio and Sega GT together in one convenient package. 2K and Bethesda are bundling Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Bioshock together for Xbox 360 and Windows PC, for $39.99 and $29.99, respectively, starting July 7.

The press release was unclear on which version of Oblivion this is (Game of the Year edition?), so we've sent word for a comment regarding that.

Verbinski doubtful about BioShock flick, wants to make games

by Justin McElroy { Jun 1st 2009 at 12:30PM }

We've been a little doubtful that the BioShock movie would actually get made after it was first announced, but director Gore Verbinski is starting to come around to our way of thinking. Verbinski told the LA Times that he thought the movie could still get made, but likely in a foreign country that offers tax breaks for movie makers.

Verbinski also says he wants to get into the games business, which would be more troubling if the very first thing he'd said about it hadn't been, "It's a mistake for Hollywood to impose themselves on the gaming space. Not only is it arrogant, but it hasn't really worked." Music to our ears.

BioShock 2: Simultaneous release on Xbox 360, PS3 & PC [update]

by David Hinkle { May 29th 2009 at 11:13AM }

We've been waiting on platform confirmation for 2K's upcoming BioShock 2 for some time now, and now we finally know which systems the title will release for. VG247 confirmed with 2K that the game will release "on PS3, 360 and PC on 30th October, just for the record." It should be noted that October 30 is the European release date for the game, and that it's already been confirmed for a November 3 release in North America.

With the game releasing on multiple platforms on day one, it means that PS3 enthusiasts won't miss out on the fun due to timed exclusivity this go round.

Update: We contacted 2K to clarify the statements that VG247 received, and it confirmed that a simultaneous Xbox 360, PS3 and PC release would occur in North America as well. Huzzah!

Take-Two and Tor releasing BioShock novel

by Justin McElroy { May 27th 2009 at 11:59PM }

We're still not sure why anyone would want to retrofit video games with last-gen tech and turn them into books, but sci-fi/fantasy publisher Tor has apparently had a lot of success with the practice lately, with franchises like Halo and Dragon Age. The next game to get the dead tree-ment? BioShock, which will be the subject of a 400-page hard- and softcover release this fall.

Currently, the book's author is listed as Ken Levine, but we're pretty sure that's a placeholder, because we don't live in a magical alternate dimension where we can make things happen just by wishing for them. We'll let you know when we find out more.

BioShock 2 dated Oct. 30 in Europe, Nov. 3 in North America

by Richard Mitchell { May 26th 2009 at 5:08PM }

During Take-Two's second quarter financial conference call, CEO Ben Feder announced that BioShock 2 will release in Europe on Friday, October 30, while North American gamers will be returning to Rapture on Tuesday, November 3. It's worth noting that Take Two still lists the game's platforms as "TBA." Given that the previous title was released for Xbox 360, PC and (eventually) PS3, and that Take-Two enjoys making money, it's likely the game will again hit all three high-definition platforms. There is still the question as to the order in which the game will hit those platforms, though, and with E3 looming, a timed-exclusivity announcement may be in the offing.

Gallery: BioShock 2

BioShock 2 lets you shut off the Vita Chambers, die

by Griffin McElroy { May 25th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Any masochists in the room? Don't be shy, go ahead and raise your self-battered hands. We've got great news for these deviant individuals -- in a recent interview with CVG, 2K Marin executive producer Alyssa Finley explained that the original BioShock's easily exploitable respawn points, Vita Chambers, can be turned off in BioShock 2, allowing the player to die without the luxury of a self-cloning safety net.

It was an option that last year's BioShock DLC (as well as the PS3 version of the game) afforded to its more hardcore players. And by "hardcore," we mean "absolutely insane." Seriously, during our first jaunt through Rapture, we died more times than Bill Murray did in Groundhog Day.

Direct2Drive hosting huge 2K Games half off sale

by Griffin McElroy { May 24th 2009 at 4:00PM }

Digital distribution retailer Direct2Drive is playing host to a pretty sweet deal for those who've been hesitant to pick up 2K's PC gaming offerings for reasons financial. D2D is offering a huge selection of their 2K Games catalog for half off until May 31. For just $9.95, you can nab Bioshock, Civilization IV, Serious Sam Gold, Prey and a few others -- or, for just $7.50, you can pick up the entire five-game X-Com series. That's $1.50 per game. If that doesn't blow your mind, you should really consider getting your frugality receptors examined.

[Via Big Download]

BioShock 2's Big Daddy revealed on GamePro cover

by Griffin McElroy { May 21st 2009 at 5:30PM }

GamePro is promising that its upcoming July issue will blow the doors off of the sequel to 2K's undersea shooter, BioShock. Of course, by the time it hits newsstands, you'll probably be full to the gills with all the the BioShock 2 details you can handle -- we're sure to hear a ton about the game during E3.

Fortunately, GamePro recently offered a delicious morsel to its potential readers, uploading the Big Daddy-infused cover of the upcoming issue to the mag's online edition. You can check out the full cover -- and the design for BioShock 2's diving suit-wearing protagonist -- after the break. As a point of reference, here's the original Big Daddy. And here's a poster for the hilarious, heartfelt Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy. And here's professional wrestler Big Daddy V! Wait, we forgot what we were doing ...

[Thanks, Storm Eagle!]

Continued →

These ten minutes of BioShock 2 footage look awfully familiar

by Ben Gilbert { May 14th 2009 at 2:15PM }

Though we already caught a snippet of the gameplay offered in the video you see above, why not watch a much longer, smoothly narrated version of some BioShock 2 footage? What's that? You say you don't want to ruin the game for yourself by watching the same vertical slice demo too many times?

While we can appreciate the hard-line stance you've taken, dearest reader, we highly suggest checking this clip out -- if only for the deep sea exploration and tactical combat. Sure, the underwater paths look a bit linear and the Little Sister's dialogue digs into our mind grapes like so many clog-footed wine makers, but hey, we've wanted flamethrower hands since we can remember. Is that so wrong?

Download HD BioShock 2 'Hunting the Big Sister' Gameplay Video (244 MB)

Gallery: BioShock 2

Ken Levine: Next project will cost 'a fair amount of money'

by Christopher Grant { May 8th 2009 at 7:00PM }

During his Q&A at the MIT Business in Gaming conference, Ken Levine revealed the cost of some of his projects and hinted at the cost (and scale!) of 2K Boston's latest, still secret, project.

"Freedom Force was $2 million; System Shock 2 was $600K, it was nothing. BioShock, I think it's been published, was $15 million," Levine said. When we asked how much, on that scale, his new project would cost, Levine teased, "It's more than System Shock 2."

He elaborated, "It's a fair amount of money. Our goal is to build experiences." Referring to the craft of building experiences, Levine noted that BioShock "didn't have the best shooting compared to Call of Duty" and "it didn't have the most revolutionary AI." What it did have was an "experience [gamers] couldn't get anywhere else." It was something "that people can look at it and say, 'I can't have this experience anywhere else.'"

Here's the thing: "Generally those experiences cost a fair amount of money to make," Levine says. Of course, he can't say how much – "because I would probably get fired before I walked out the door" – but he assures us "It won't be the cheapest product ever made." So we've got a ballpark here: Somewhere between $600K and infinity.

Ken Levine shows off what a total nerd he is

by Ben Gilbert { May 1st 2009 at 11:00PM }

It's okay, Kenny L., we're nerds too. We know what it's like owning the I, Claudius box set and no one understanding. In fact, if we wrote to A Life Well Wasted with pictures of all our stuff and thoughtful descriptions for each image, we're absolutely sure that A.) Robert Ashley wouldn't return our emails and B.) No one would like us, even if he did post it.

But alas, we are probably more interested than we should be in the marvel of the BioShock creator's collection, put together for a feature called "Stuff I Can't Live Without." Somewhere between the plastic guitar leaning against his stack of various board games and the eloquent reverence he uses to speak of his wife, we fell just a little bit harder for ol' Ken. We'd love to show you all there is, but why not check out the original post yourself?

BioShock movie gets budget cut, 'in a holding pattern'

by Ben Gilbert { Apr 25th 2009 at 1:00PM }

The bad economy just won't stop showing up in our news posts these days. First we get predictions of months of down sales, and now we get news that the Gore Verbinski directed BioShock film adaptation is stuck "in a holding pattern." Variety is reporting that Verbinski and production company Universal are looking at possibly moving the currently in pre-production film to outside the US to "take advantage of a tax credit," allegedly looking at moving production to London from its current Los Angeles locale.

Additionally, according to Variety's sources, some of the pre-production staff has been let go while the budget restructuring takes place. The studio (and Verbinski himself) have vowed to not allow the BioShock movie to succumb to the same fate as the perpetually on-again, off-again Halo film. As BioShock is one of the few games we could actually see making a really interesting film, we're hoping they're not just pulling our chain.

[Thanks, Aaron!]