Ghost Story Games (Irrational) is making an Immersive Sim (shocking, I know), has 30 person team

[Nirolak]

I promise this thread isn't about loot boxes or multiplayer!

Highlights:
1.) Ghost Story Games (Irrational) has finally confirmed their next game is an immersive sim. I think most people expected this, but now we know for certain.
2.) The job posting states they have a 30 person team. By comparison, BioShock Infinite was 200+ people.
3.) A previous job posting implied they had this extensive DLC system for the game, so I'm thinking they might be thinking along the lines of a Hitman like business model.
4.) It will still be an FPS and either hub based or open world.
5.) It uses Unreal Engine 4.

WHAT WE OFFER
- The opportunity to work on a creatively ambitious project in the immersive sim genre.
- We are a core development team of just under 30 people and work closely with specialist outsource groups and contractors when necessary.

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- Lay out, build and light levels, from initial block-out to final polish, in Unreal 4.
- Experience in first-person shooters and semi-open (e.g., Borderlands/Shadows of Mordor) or open-world game.
- Passion for narrative first-person shooters a plus.
- Has shipped at least one highly rated FPS or 3PS game (Metacritic rating of 85+)

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Source: https://chp.tbe.taleo.net/chp04/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=GAMES2K&cws=49&rid=2115

 

[Bog]

Thought this was about Ghost Song at first glance.

 

[OniluapL]

A medium-sized immersive sim (doesn't seem like it will need huge sales?) by Irrational sounds perfect, I hope it turns out well

 

[Zukkoyaki]

Smaller teams, therefore smaller budget, is probably going to be a necessity for this genre going forward.

I look forward to seeing!

 

[Riderz1337]

Is Ken Levine leading this studio?? Is he even in game development anymore?

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

UE4 putting in work.

Will be interesting to see how a narrative focused service game will work.

 

[Nirolak]

Is Ken Levine leading this studio?? Is he even in game development anymore?

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Yes. This is just Irrational with a new name.

 

[Dabi3]

Will be supporting this.

 

[julia crawford]

Hope they go for different subjects and themes and actions. Feels like if they just make another SS2 it's really gonna kill the inventiveness of the genre.

 

[HeisenbergWW62]

Immersive sim led by Kevin Levine. In already in

Do we know how long this has been in development for? I was always under the impression that it didn't start for a while after Infinite released

 

[Kalor]

An immersion sim could work pretty well with a Hitman style model. Add new hubs over time and maybe add stuff to the old areas as well.

 

[Bhonar]

Thanks for the report. I'm definitely down for this, as long as Levine keeps his design ambitions in check and doesn't go the way of Chris Roberts.

 

[thistooshallpass]

I still haven't played anything better than the original Deus Ex as far as immersive Sims go. The little details that game had was crazy.

I hope they make something good.

 

[TripaSeca]

UE4 = Switch hopes up!

And metacritic score as job requisite.... that's sad AF...

 

[Bedameister]

Very excited to see what they're working on.

 

[newmoneytrash]

They've been working on this for *awhile*

I'm curious to finally see what it looks like

 

[Deleted member 11976]

The criterion that mentions a Metacritic rating of 85+ is flat-out ridiculous. One person cannot be responsible for a MC score earned by a team that might have had several hundred developers on it -- even if they're a senior with over 5 years of experience.

Stated plainly as, "[A] production credit on a title we love," would stand to turn away less developers who are extremely talented on an individual level.

 

[UltraGunner]

Glad to see the genre isn't dead.

 

[Rogote]

I've always seen that "must have been part of a project that had over xx score in metacritic" requirement as super odd. Sounds very stupid. You can have an absolute hero of work ethic who is talented as fuck working on a game that nets a 70 on MC. You can also have a dev who was part of a 93MC game who was by far the weakest link in the whole team.

 

[GamingEnthusiast]

The criterion that mentions a Metacritic rating of 85+ is flat-out ridiculous. One person cannot be responsible for a MC score earned by a team that might have had several hundred developers on it -- even if they're a senior with over 5 years of experience.

Stated plainly as, "[A] production credit on a title we love," would stand to turn away less developers who are extremely talented on an individual level.

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Well, it seems like they want the best of the best since they're planning to employ fewer developers due to budget constrains. But I agree with you regarding the fact that one developer isn't responsible for an entire project's metacritic score.

 

[Nirolak]

I've always seen that "must have been part of a project that had over xx score in metacritic" requirement as super odd. Sounds very stupid. You can have an absolute hero of work ethic who is talented as fuck working on a game that nets a 70 on MC. You can also have a dev who was part of a 93MC game who was by far the weakest link in the whole team.

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This is interestingly one of the only jobs I've seen this on in about the past five years.

 

[element]

Uggg. I see that they are still doing the MC rating bullshit.

 

[Vibranium]

I'm excited. Hopefully with a smaller budget Levine won't get too ambitious, and the game can meet lower expectations.

 

[BossAttack]

They've been working on this for *awhile*

I'm curious to finally see what it looks like

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Same here. Ken has basically been talking about this game since Infinite came out. When was that GDC talk he did where he talked about some core ideas for the game? Seems ages ago.

 

[roguesquirrel]

shocking you say

 

[Bigg]

I wonder what happened to that interactive Twilight Zone series Levine was working on.

 

[808s & Villainy]

You guys are acting like they're going to reject anyone who doesn't meet the MC score. It's clearly a preferred skill set, and just one part of it. Plus, if you're hiring senior level talent who have worked on a high scoring game, they've usually made some non-insignificant contribution to that, over a lower level talent. Obviously the team as a whole largely contributed to it, but the senior level/leads had a good part in establishing good practices, pipelines, architecture, etc.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Excited to see where this goes and if Levine still has it in him after Infinite.

 

[ASaiyan]

What is it with these Metacritic requirements, lol. EA wanted a 90 on Visceral Star Wars, Ken Levine wants people who've shipped an 85 or higher...like, if you're gonna ask this, at least be reasonable. 75 or 80 at most, lol. Games do not simply score that high every day, even if they're good and well-made games.

 

[zoltek]

How big was the SOMA team? If comparable, with Ken Levine at the helm, I can't wait to see what these guys put out. My only reservation is dilution of the final product by taking things to much into the open-world realm. Then again, in Levine I trust (yes, I even liked BioShock Infinite... a lot).

 

[the_wart]

Either they're absolutely swimming in overqualified applicants, or the metacritic thing is even dumber than Bioshock Infinite!

 

[ActWan]

They can set the new standard for immersive sims with this game (low budget, small team). Let's see how it plays out

 

[element]

You guys are acting like they're going to reject anyone who doesn't meet the MC score. It's clearly a preferred skill set, and just one part of it. Plus, if you're hiring senior level talent who have worked on a high scoring game, they've usually made some non-insignificant contribution to that, over a lower level talent. Obviously the team as a whole largely contributed to it, but the senior level/leads had a good part in establishing good practices, pipelines, architecture, etc.

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But you can be smart and have good practices, pipelines and architecture and have worked on average rated games.

This equates talent to arbitrary review scores. It is disappointing to view hiring like this.

Based on that 85+ MC no one from the following games could qualify.
Shadow of War
Destiny
Prey
Gears of War 4
Halo 5
Skyrim
Far Cry 4
Far Cry Primal
Watch Dogs 2
Wolfenstein
Alien: Isolation
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Evolve
Dying Light

There are extremely talented people working at tons of studios who games don't "hit".

 

[Aselith]

I thought Levine wanted to go do skunkworks stuff? So he just wanted to make the same type of game at a smaller budget? Well, aight

 

[duckroll]

That Metacritic thing is pretty funny but let's be real, it's just a tacky way of saying they prefer candidates with prestige game experience.

 

[Deleted member 18379]

I believe in them. Looking forward to it.

 

[More_Badass]

The immersive sim lives on. I'm certainly not complaining if AA and indie teams keep it alive

If anything, that might be a benefit, since not needing to meet AAA sales and audience sales/expectations might let the subgenre expand and try new things.

Harvey Smith:

I wish everybody was working on this kind of game, because I'd just love to see the immersive sim that's not based around combat - perhaps based around surveillance. The immersive sim that's not set in a fantasy world, but that's set outside the window here. The immersive sim on voyeurism. The immersive sim on watching your kid grow up. There's like 100 different things you could imagine. There's much, much more that can be done with this, other than: 'I'm trapped in this environment and I'm running out of food and bullets, and monsters are coming in for me'.

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[Print_Dog]

Really ready to seen what Ken Levine puts out. Its been far too long with too many rumors. Would've loved to see that Twilight Zone project, though, honestly.

 

[808s & Villainy]

But you can be smart and have good practices, pipelines and architecture and have worked on average rated games.

This equates talent to arbitrary review scores. It is disappointing to view hiring like this.

Based on that 85+ MC no one from the following games could qualify.
Shadow of War
Destiny
Prey
Gears of War 4
Halo 5
Skyrim
Far Cry 4
Far Cry Primal
Watch Dogs 2
Wolfenstein
Alien: Isolation
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Evolve
Dying Light

There are extremely talented people working at tons of studios who games don't "hit".

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That's why I said it's most likely a preference, not a requirement.

 

[Don Fluffles]

Ghost Stories, huh?

 

[Watershed]

I'm down for an immersive sim made by people who love immersive sims. Question though, in 2017 (or 2018 and beyond when this game releases) what does a FPS immersive sim made by a small team of 30 people with some outside help look like?

 

[More_Badass]

I'm down for an immersive sim made by people who love immersive sims. Question though, in 2017 (or 2018 and beyond when this game releases) what does a FPS immersive sim made by a small team of 30 people with some outside help look like?

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Considering games like Consortium: The Tower and the power of UE4, it'll probably look really good

 

[Arion]

So the "Metacritic rating 85+" is still a thing?

 

[purseowner]

Please deliver.

 

[FelipeMGM]

keep the immersive sims coming

 

[GavinUK86]

Yes. More immersive sims please. Keep the genre alive Levine!

Maybe a Hitman style of game design will work better for the genre.

Imagine if Prey launched at a lower price point and only one section of the station was available. Then later on you get the second section, then the third and so on. Could've worked in it's favour. It's still a 10/10 game for me but I'm obviously in the minority.

I would love to see more studios take on the Hitman/Hellblade way of making games.

 

[Deleted member 5593]

But you can be smart and have good practices, pipelines and architecture and have worked on average rated games.

This equates talent to arbitrary review scores. It is disappointing to view hiring like this.

Based on that 85+ MC no one from the following games could qualify.
Shadow of War
Destiny
Prey
Gears of War 4
Halo 5
Skyrim
Far Cry 4
Far Cry Primal
Watch Dogs 2
Wolfenstein
Alien: Isolation
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Evolve
Dying Light

There are extremely talented people working at tons of studios who games don't "hit".

Click to shrink...

That metacritic criteria is as meaningful as "10 years of experience". They're not going to pass on someone's resume if they were developers of the above games.

 

[SkoomaBlade]

Looking forward to whatever Ken Levine and Ghost Story Games puts out.

I gotta say, "immersive sim" as a genre title is silly and I hope the industry comes up with something better.

 

[SUPGUYZ]

Finally, Levine's new Vita game!

 

[More_Badass]

Looking forward to whatever Ken Levine and Ghost Story Games puts out.

I gotta say, "immersive sim" as a genre title is silly and I hope the industry comes up with something better.

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Like first person shooter RPG?

Is it any more silly than "blobber"?