One of the main developers of the Bioshock franchise, Jordan Thomas, has parted ways with 2K Marin to set up a two-person studio, citing his long focus on developing triple-A titles as a catalyst for the decision.
Thomas explained that he wanted to create worlds in the same way that Ken Levine had created the worlds of Rapture and Columbia in Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite.
“It cemented for me that while Bioshock spoke to me, it’ll never be for me what it is for Ken,” said Thomas an interview with GamesIndustry International. “I’ve expanded that legacy here and there, but I could never have created it from scratch. I need to build something that is, to me, what Bioshock is to Ken. No matter how long it takes, I have to start now.”
“Without spoiling things for anybody, there are elements of the ending that spoke to me, and I wanted to make something that evoked those feelings more consistently throughout. And that could be a niche within a niche. I have yet to complete that experiment, but it’s something that’s really driving me right now.”
Thomas says he plans to create something new with his as-yet-to-be-revealed partner in the indie space that draws upon the core designs of Thief and Bioshock.