Steam Machine and Switch 2 aren't "massive technological upgrades," says BioShock creator – but they prove we've hit "diminishing returns" with cutting-edge graphics tech
Ken Levine, BioShock creator and the creative director behind upcoming first-person shooter Judas, doesn't think prioritizing the most up-to-date technology in game development is all that important – in fact, he finds realism doesn't "age well" at all.
The BioShock mastermind – who isn't working on BioShock 4 but rather new title Judas – reveals as much during an interview with IGN.
"I don't think we've ever been a company that was like, 'Oh my god, we need the latest and greatest technology,'" he begins, referencing what was previously Irrational Games (now Ghost Story Games). "In the rendering space, we've never been a company." They've "never really tried to do ultra realism," apparently.
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Why, though? "It's expensive, and it doesn't age as well as sort of more stylistic things." That reason is also why Levine thinks games like BioShock still look so good – they prioritized their own unique style over top-of-the-line graphics.
The dev then brings up the Switch 2 and the ever-elusive Steam Machine, explaining they're "not massive technological upgrades," as it wasn't their creators' "strategy." There's a bit of stagnation regarding visual capabilities, too.
"I think people are realizing that we've sort of hit a bit of diminishing returns with that," as Levine puts it. "I think if you have the right art director and the right approach, you don't need to be on the cutting edge of technology all the time."
He then admits Judas won't be "CPU-intensive," with Ghost Story Games placing a stronger focus on narrative design and the like – similar to Baldur's Gate 3, which manages to appear stunning nonetheless.
It's certainly a perspective to think about. I'm also interested to see what director Judas takes, seeing as Levine has said it lets you "truly inhabit a character" in a way BioShock didn't – but I suppose only time will tell how the FPS does so.
Curious about what else there is to be excited about right now in the gaming sphere? Here's a handy roundup of all the most eye-catching new games coming this year and beyond.
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
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