2K Boston's 'next big project' is a 'shooter'

Original BioShock studio hiring veteran designers to work on "unannounced" action title; is it an X-COM spin-off, a SWAT sequel, or something else entirely?

Speaking with GameSpot in March, 2K Boston cofounder, president, and creative director Ken Levine gave the following advice: "If somebody wanted to know what was going on at 2K Boston right now, there's only one way: apply for a job with us." He went on, saying that the developer formerly known as Irrational Games "still need[s] more, many more people to come and get involved in our Next Big Thing."

Can you smell what The Levine is cookin'? No?

Now, it appears that the no-longer-underwater 2K Boston is indeed bulking up its staff. The studio is hiring a principal combat designer, multiplayer level designer, and level designer for a single mystery game. All three positions mention that the shop's "next big project" is "an unannounced shooter." Reps for 2K Games had not commented on the job listings as of press time.

With 2K Marin (and several other studios) working on the recently delayed BioShock 2, the mention of 2K Boston's next project raises several possibilities. If rumors that Levine's team is working on a new entry in the X-COM series are true, then the project could be a shooter spin-off of the classic sci-fi tactics franchise, a la X-COM: Enforcer. (Hopefully such a project would receive better reviews than its predecessor.)

However, if 2K Boston, which is owned by Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive, has multiple development teams, that means it could be working on a proper X-COM sequel and a second project. Possibilities range from a SWAT 4 follow-up to a shooter based on another classic Irrational franchise, such as Freedom Force. (The System Shock IP is owned by Electronic Arts.) The studio could also be quietly laying the foundation for a return to the first-person BioShock series--or readying an entirely new IP altogether.

However, whatever 2K Boston is currently working on, it is indeed "big." Last month, Levine told industry specialty site Gamasutra that his team has "a scope and ambition in mind which is more ambitious than anything we've ever done. Even more, substantially more ambitious than BioShock."

110 Comments

  • RitterXplode

    Posted Dec 14, 2009 1:42 am PT

    i love big things. they tend to be sustancious and, you know, big.

  • xenogearsownz

    Posted Dec 1, 2009 5:43 am PT

    yes because SWAT 5 would be substantially more ambitious than Bioshock....

    /facepalm

  • SwTz

    Posted Sep 17, 2009 5:01 am PT

    Make SWAT 5 PLEASE our community needs it

  • zaphod_b

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:26 am PT

    @Anteraan: I think you just contradicted yourself. Shooters can go in other directions they haven't explored yet enough.

  • pogswarts

    Posted Aug 22, 2009 6:27 am PT

    I hope it's SWAT 5!

  • RavenXavier

    Posted Aug 17, 2009 10:14 pm PT

    You're the man Ken, you're the man.

  • Anteraan

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 10:34 pm PT

    Good god, when are gamers going to realize that the shooter genre is played out to death? The main reason Bioshock was soooooo very good was that it was a shooter with THINKING.

  • ildamos

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 6:07 am PT

    System Shock 3.

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 6:12 am PT

    Ken Levine is a gaming god. BioShock was (and still is) phenomenal. Easily one of the best games this generation thus far

  • Excedra

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 5:54 am PT

    Wow...because shooters are soooo uncommon.......

  • PodXCOM

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 3:25 am PT

    I hope they don't make X-COM into a crappy doom clone. That would be really super gay

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 5:20 pm PT

    swat 5 PLZ AND THANK YOU!

  • Gallardo980

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 4:17 pm PT

    SWAT 4 RULES

  • X-RS

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 4:09 pm PT

    i guess there wouldnt be this much hype over the darkness sequel?
    starbreeze said they werent working on it. word was it went to 2k iirc.
    dontcha hate searching news archives?

  • edub272

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 2:42 pm PT

    ya 2k boston! representin bean town go red sox

  • EliteGamer09

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 12:09 pm PT

    2K Boston?

  • Melty123

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 11:44 am PT

    2K shooter, I'll have a look when it comes closer.

  • justin121390

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 11:29 am PT

    its bioshock 3, my cousin used to work for 2k boston, and before he left he told me bioshock 2 wasn't being made by 2k boston because they were working on bioshock 3, i don't know if this story is for bioshock 3, but I do know that they are working on it.

  • Vod_Crack

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:42 am PT

    SWAT 5 would be awesome. SWAT 4 was great on the PC but none of my mates had it to make the most out of the experience. If they made a SWAT 5, hopefully it would be on the PC and Xbox 360/PS3 so people can choose what platform would have their friends playing it. SWAT 4 was alright in single-player but co-op was just intense, walking into rooms with your squad of real teammates shouting "GET ON THE FLOOR" while filling the room with tear gas. It was a challenging game that rewarded the player for trying to get the terrorists to surrender, rather than just shooting first asking questions later. SWAT 5 would be awesome.

  • Souldrainer2021

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:39 am PT

    lol so many shooters are on the market, i hope they come up with something that will rise above the crowd, then again... they probably will.

  • cosmothehound

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:39 am PT

    its a new ip probably since he says its way more ambitious. i dont want another xcom even though im a fan.

  • mike1146l

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:30 am PT

    i wonder what it is!

  • ThisNameIsDumb

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:19 am PT

    oh wow... a shooter.. i'm excited.

  • RavenXavier

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 9:48 am PT

    Please be X-COM!!!!

  • hectic3

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 9:39 am PT

    If it's not system shock it better be a new ip, if what they're working on is more ambitious than bioshock, I doubt it's x-com or swat. I'm really hoping for a system shock game or maybe some kind of open world game like fallout 3, another post apocalyptic game would be cool.

  • bschroth

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 8:44 am PT

    As long as they have shock in the name then I'll probably buy it. And if it doesn't, if better kick butt.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 7:28 am PT

    even more ambitious than Bioshock? That could be good, but also possibly bad if they don't keep their focus.

  • Head_Psychosis

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 6:47 am PT

    Another System Shock (not Bio, would be nice...)

  • eal-zubieri

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 6:19 am PT

    Another project, maybe its the darkness 2 if not i am not intreseted.

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 5:56 am PT

    Read the thread. Another 'shooter' that is System Shock is another BIOSHOCK! If they had daid they were working on an RPG, THEN I would say I hoped it would be Bioshock! The Bioshock world is totally wasted as a shooter! As an RPG imagine how they could really bring the world alive! You could have friendly factions, better stealth options, separate quests, better replaying/value and a much bigger 'Bioshock' world!

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 5:44 am PT

    It's an action title. Why get excited about ANOTHER shooter. I want another x-Com or another SWAT, but neither of those games were 'action games' and X-Com or SWAT 'action games' are not something I am going to be interested in.

  • WizengamotX

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 5:36 am PT

    I vote for SWAT 5.

  • Neogenic

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 4:30 am PT

    SWAT 5 would not be bad. I hope that they improve the AI a bit then.

  • TicTac8745

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 3:52 am PT

    Oh please let it be SWAT 5!!

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 2:53 am PT

    If another FPS enters the market then I am going to shoot myself... the irony.

  • blackfray

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 1:26 am PT

    yeah yeah you'd better hurry up with bioshock 2 then do something about your 'next big project'.

  • ShadowBass989

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 12:13 am PT

    Bioshock is one of my favorite "next gen games". I'll keep my eye on this for the time being.

  • Taegre

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 11:25 pm PT

    Glad they're looking for new level designers. The level designs for Bioshock were that game's only downfall (but geez, what a big freakin' downfall). As long as we're not stuck alternating between two identical, boring apartment complexes toward the final two hours again, it should be an improvement.

  • gameking5000

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 11:03 pm PT

    Hope it is just as good as Bioshock was

  • HappyPeaceGuy

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 10:29 pm PT

    Given the unfortunate (but unsurprising) success of BioShock, I'll certainly not be bracing myself for anything I'd relish coming from the studio. Still, the developer can't be faulted for giving the masses what they desire...games that won't hurt anyone.

  • Pete5506 posted Aug 10, 2009 9:56 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Pete5506

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 9:56 pm PT (hide)

    I would love to see a new big hit shooter

  • OF-5

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 9:42 pm PT

    Cool you can never have too many shooters! Not to mention its made by the people who made the greatest shooter of all time, Bioshock

  • Tygraph

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 9:23 pm PT

    I LOVE how everyone has to say "oh another shooter..." Since when was this bad? Sure there are a lot but not one person said that about COD or the multitude of Halo games coming soon. 2K Boston obviously likes quality if you take Bioshock into the picture, so you know it's going to be good. And if they say its going to be "big" then you bet your ass it is

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:50 pm PT

    SURPRISE!!! A shooter....well who doesn't need another one of those.

    Yeah right, I will be there for these guys day one. I don't even need to know anything about the game. I would buy it blind without though. 2K Boston and Kenny are awesome.

  • DeeCrutch

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:34 pm PT

    I haven't played a good X-com game in I don't know when. I wouldn't mind seeing something along those lines.

    btw, GS, I liked X-Com Enforcer well enough. It wasn't ground-breaking or anything, but it was fun!

  • Vambran

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:33 pm PT

    System Shock 3 or a Reboot of System shock 1 please. (i.e. Doom 3)

  • tony382

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:11 pm PT

    Please let it be SWAT!!!

  • F0ZZY

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:06 pm PT

    i hope its SWAT

  • Javieralijandro

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 7:35 pm PT

    I dont like FPS'a but plz have a deep story like bioshock, thats the only fps that ive played with an awesome campaign every other campaign sucks, thats u halo,killzone and COD

  • -HCMF-

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 7:30 pm PT

    All I want for xmas is a TRUE Xcom sequell

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