Arkane Studios Joins BioShock 2 Team

Take-Two has announced that French developer Arkane Studios, the team behind Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, has joined the BioShock 2 development group, but are all these cooks bad for Rapture's soup?

Take-Two announced Arkane's participation today, bringing the total number of studios working on BioShock 2 to four. 2K Marin is the game's primary developer, working in conjunction with 2K Australia, while Digital Extremes, the Canadian studio behind Dark Sector, is handling the development of the multiplayer component.

"Today I'm proud to say that we've added another important developer to the [BioShock 2] mix," said producer Alyssa Finley. "Under the direction and leadership of 2K Marin, Arkane is assisting in the creation of levels that embody the aesthetic and gameplay ideals that make BioShock such a unique and exciting experience."

Founded in Lyons, France, in 1999, Arkane debuted with the Ultima Underworld-inspired RPG Arx Fatalis and then released the fantasy action game Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. While neither game was a major hit, they were both very well executed and demonstrated a flair for strong, engaging level design. On its website, Arkane said, "We're excited about this game, which underscores Arkane Studios' core values."

I'm a fan of Arkane but I have to admit I'm not necessarily a fan of its addition to the BioShock crew. BioShock 2 is scheduled for release in less than four months and bringing in a whole new team at this stage to "assist" in level creation has a vague whiff of desperate rushing to it. Take-Two is no doubt anxious to catch the Christmas season but as a gamer, I'd far rather see the game delayed than pushed out the door before it's ready.

Source: GamesIndustry