Ken Levine on BioShock, Judas, and the Evolution of Game Design | IGN 30 Icons

Ken Levine, the legendary game director known for titles like System Shock, BioShock, BioShock Infinite, and the upcoming game Judas, discussed his career, game development philosophy, and experiences in the industry. He began by recalling that it wasn't until he was almost in the games industry that he realized it was an option. A pivotal moment for him was playing Ultima Underworld, a game that demonstrated emergent behavior. Unlike linear RPGs where events were predetermined, Ultima Underworld allowed for unexpected interactions, such as goblins being chased by a spider, creating unique player experiences. This concept of emergent gameplay deeply influenced Levine's approach to game design, where overlapping systems create beautiful, chaotic, and dynamic storytelling moments unique to each player. Levine emphasized that he never wants to dictate the future of games, recognizing that different developers have different goals and appeal to different player preferences. His personal goal is to remove barriers, allowing players to improvise and feel agency within a world that shifts around them, which he admits is a difficult problem to solve. Discussing the evolving landscape of gaming, Levine reflected on the shift from single-player narrative-driven games, which felt like the future during the BioShock era, to the rise of multiplayer experiences like Fortnite where players create their own stories. While acknowledging the economic advantages of multiplayer games, he stressed the importance of narrative-driven single-player experiences that offer chaotic and unexpected moments. He hopes to attract younger audiences, who might primarily find these elements in multiplayer, to the rich offerings of the single-player space. He believes that if a game offers a great experience, people will find it, citing the role of platforms like Steam and its review system in building awareness, even without massive marketing campaigns. Levine then addressed the role of technology in storytelling, stating that his company has never prioritized cutting-edge rendering for ultra-realism, except for SWAT 4. He believes that stylistic choices, like those in BioShock, age better than attempts at hyper-realism. He noted that recent hardware upgrades, like the Switch 2 or new Steam machines, haven't represented massive technological leaps, suggesting diminishing returns in purely graphical advancements. For Judas, the focus isn't on CPU-intensive rendering but on complex narrative systems, which require immense organizational and thought work, similar to Baldur's Gate's intricate branching storylines. He believes that hardware accessibility to more people, including mobile gamers, is more crucial than pushing graphical boundaries. He recounted an instance during the PS2/Xbox era where his team scrapped a console game idea because the technology wasn't yet capable of delivering their vision, fearing the demise of PC gaming before Steam revitalized it. This highlights the constant evolution of the industry and developers' need to adapt. Reflecting on the iconic openings of BioShock and BioShock Infinite, Levine explained that he doesn't dwell on future success but rather focuses on creating something he loves. He stressed the critical importance of a strong opening in a game, comparing it to the first few pages of a script. If a game doesn't immediately capture the player, it's difficult to retain their interest, especially in today's competitive market where players have countless options and little patience for slow starts. He highlighted the principle of "respecting the player's time," ensuring that the initial minutes deliver a rich experience. Levine expressed satisfaction in seeing a new generation of game developers inspired by BioShock, viewing it as a flattering form of peer respect. He believes in the collaborative nature of the games industry, where developers openly share insights and learn from each other, fostering a "rising tide raises all ships" mentality. Regarding the increasing length of game development cycles, Levine explained that for Judas, the extended timeline was due to the complex challenge of crafting a dynamic, reactive narrative "Lego system." This involved building new technology on top of Unreal Engine and then figuring out how to write stories that maximally leveraged this system, a process that involved much trial and error. He contrasted this with the largely linear experiences of BioShock and BioShock Infinite. For other games, he speculated that increased scope, leading to larger teams and communication challenges, as well as the difficulties of taking over projects mid-development, contribute to longer cycles. He also mentioned that nothing "just works" in games; every interaction must be coded, and seemingly simple changes can require re-architecting major underlying systems. Levine addressed the idea of "diminishing returns" in visual fidelity, suggesting that a plateau in graphical advancements might allow for more games to be developed faster. He observed that not all newer games look radically better than their predecessors, sometimes due to larger teams bringing on less experienced individuals. He acknowledged the "genius of the novice" – the ability to innovate by not knowing the rules – but also the value of experience in guiding development. When discussing the painful process of abandoning ideas, Levine shared an early experience while working on Thief. He would generate new game concepts every week or two, only for them to be rejected. This taught him that "ideas are cheap; execution is everything." He has no problem letting go of concepts that aren't working, even if it takes time to realize it. On the topic of perfectionism, Levine admitted to sometimes having unnecessarily high standards. He struggles with knowing when to let go of minor details that players might not notice, especially as a game approaches completion. He prides himself on playing games as a gamer, not just a creative director, which helps him identify genuine problems, even if it means he's "famously known for breaking the game." Levine embraced the concept of players missing entire parts of Judas due to their choices. Inspired by Baldur's Gate, where a major character could be killed off early, he found power in the idea that players might discover vast differences in their friends' playthroughs, incentivizing replayability. This approach stems from his desire to create a game where characters, like Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite, could truly react to the player's actions, leading to a much more vocal and reactive main character in Judas. Approaching the release of Judas, Levine described the feeling of finishing a game as akin to postpartum depression. The intense, all-consuming nature of development abruptly ends, leaving a void and a period of adjustment. He doesn't typically take "victory laps" or revisit his old games, finding his reward in the creative process itself and the opportunity to work on new, challenging problems. Finally, Levine discussed the themes in his games, such as crumbling utopias and false prophets. He clarified that he doesn't aim to write polemics or lecture players. Instead, he explores questions he's interested in, often challenging his own beliefs. He believes that trying to educate or tell people "the truth" is dramatically uninteresting and that players legitimately dislike being lectured. He prefers to create a broad canvas for exploration, focusing on the humanity and motivations of dysfunctional characters, rather than clear heroes or villains. He drew parallels to shows like Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, which honestly portrayed their anti-heroes, making them dramatically compelling. Levine also noted that games offer a better playground for exploring these themes due to the possibility of multiple endings and player choice, which allows for more direct and reactive dialogue based on player decisions. Levine admitted it was tough to say goodbye to BioShock, a franchise he deeply cares about. However, he felt he had said what he needed to say in that world and didn't want to simply make a new thing and call it BioShock for safety. He sought a new challenge, recognizing that holding onto things too tightly can define and own a creator. While he acknowledges the legacy of BioShock in Judas, he promises players will be surprised by its differences. He found a new "hard problem" to solve, which motivates him more than financial gain.