2K Games just announced that it has signed a partnership with Digital Extremes to create the multiplayer portion of Bioshock 2. They’re working with 2K Marin to figure out how best to do it.
“The fans asked for a multiplayer experience and we answered,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With Digital Extremes delivering a multiplayer experience for BioShock 2 that features all of the things that make BioShock unique, we’re holding ourselves to a high standard so that we can deliver the depth and variety that fans of the BioShock universe demand.”
Funny, I don’t remember anyone ever asking for multiplayer. Bioshock‘s such a phenomenal experience that multiplayer seems completely unnecessary. Aren’t there enough games with half-baked multiplayer portions that we all ignore? At least they’re smart enough to have another developer handle it, so not to take time away from polishing the single player mode.
But it’s not all so bad. Digital Extremes are the guys behind the PS3 Bioshock port, as well co-developers of Dark Sector and pretty much every Unreal game. So they definitely know what they’re doing.
Some key features they’ve pointed out include experience points (as seems to be the new standard for multiplayer games), maps that include familiar sections of Rapture before the fall (such as the Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites), and a “fast-paced” battleground where you can play as regular citizens of Rapture.