BioShock Creator On The 'Biggest Mistake' Game Developers MakeIrrational Games head Ken Levine knows a thing or two about making great game experiences, and he has some sound advice for people in the games business: don't get too caught up in the latest trends. The creator of the blockbuster BioShock franchise believes this is the "biggest mistake" he sees many in the industry making.
Speaking to IndustryGamers as part of a special Better Know feature, Levine commented, "I think that if anyone is ever going to tell you where they think [the industry's] going to be 10 years from now, and if they exude confidence, that means they’re trying to sell you something. I think that the industry is changing so fast, the best we can hope for as a developer, is to try to keep your ear to the ground. And I think the most important thing you can do - I told a friend this recently - I said, 'Don’t mistake the present for the future.' I think that happens a lot with trends. Everybody’s like, 'Oh, social games. This is what the future is.' By the time there’s a gold rush, the gold is already gone, generally."
"So I’d be thrilled if I could figure out what’s going to happen six months, a year from now and try to stay on top of those trends and be flexible to be wrong, but I think that the biggest mistake people make is not in predicting the future, it’s thinking the present’s going to be the future. And I really try to avoid that."
Elsewhere in the interview, Levine also talked about how preachy game designers that try to force their approach on others tick him off. "I have no patience for any game designer who says everybody should design games just like I do. That’s f***ing bullshit. It’s so small minded. There’s room for all kinds of games," he remarked.
Check out the full feature for much more insight from Levine.
