Irrational's Levine: PC Will 'Always' Be Home For Gaming Innovation

Irrational Games may have entered console gamers' collective consciousness with the release of 2007's Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC hit BioShock, but studio president and creative director Ken Levine said as a gamer, he's still most closely-aligned with the PC as a gaming platform. "The PC will always be the place that drives innovation," said Levine in a guest article on Kotaku. He noted the platform's open nature and low barrier of entry for developers. "The PC is the place where great game developers are born, even -- and maybe especially -- where great console game developers are born." Levine used Call of Duty creator Infinity Ward, Mass Effect developer BioWare and Halo house Bungie as examples of game developers that got their start on PC prior to making their franchises blockbusters on consoles. Irrational is also among those developers that bridged the PC and console space. The studio was founded in 1997 by ex-employees -- including Levine -- of Thief and System Shock PC developer Looking Glass Studios. Prior to BioShock, Irrational developed System Shock 2 with Looking Glass, the Freedom Force series, and developed within the SWAT and Tribes franchises -- all PC games. Currently, the studio, owned by publisher Take-Two, is working on the multiplatform BioShock Infinite. "If you want to know the future of gaming, buy a PC. And pay attention. Because above all, that thing on your desk is a crystal ball," Levine said. But what does that crystal ball tell Levine about PC gaming's future? "Fuck if I know," he wrote.