Irrational Games Announces ‘1999 Mode’ for BioShock Infinite

Last month, Irrational Games launched a survey to better understand how gamers played games and to see what their fans wanted in their new BioShock title. Well, the results are in: Irrational Games have announced the '1999 Mode'.

The 1999 Mode will feature a unique gaming experience that forces players to examine their decisions while making their way through the treacherous and twisted Columbia. “With every choice you make, there are irreversible implications, and if your choices guide you down a path not suited to your play style, you will suffer for it” wrote Eduardo, Irrational Games Community Manager.

“It’s not simply a matter of adjusting the difficulty sliders in the game – the team went much further than that. Resource planning? If you’re to survive this mode, proper planning will be crucial. Combat specializations? You’ll need to develop them efficiently and effectively throughout the story; any weapon will be useless to you unless you have that specialization.”

Combat itself will also be challenging in this mode; gamers will have to carefully target every shot while their health is set to an “entirely different baseline”. In addition, game saves were elegantly described by Ken Levine as “[they’re there and] you’re gonna f***ing need them.”

“We want to give our oldest and most committed fans an option to go back to our roots,” said Levine. “In 1999 Mode, gamers face more of the permanent consequences of their gameplay decisions. In BioShock Infinite, gamers will have to sweat out the results of their actions. In addition, 1999 Mode will demand that players pick specializations, and focus on them.”

Why can’t this game come out sooner? Goooooo!