 scared the crap out of me the first times they appeared.

------
mjn
Kind of a strange letter, especially given that Irrational Games is a
subsidiary of Take Two. It makes it sound like Irrational is doing great, and
Ken Levine just wants to try something different. But if that were the case,
demolishing Irrational to try his new thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
It'd be more sensible for him to just leave Irrational, starting a new
endeavor (either another subsidiary under Take-Two, or his own independent
thing), and leaving Irrational intact.

Possible explanations include: 1) there is _not_ as much success going on at
Irrational as implied; 2) Ken Levine is just really attached to the name, and
so wouldn't let it continue in present form while he leaves to do something
else under a new name; 3)...?

~~~
millerc
I'd bet on 3) Levine isn't interested in just "more of the same", and his
mission (Irrational's) is to create. I'm sure someone else can license the
names and characters if what they want is "more of the same".

Best of luck to the new team, looking forward to awesome stuff...

~~~
mjn
If that's true, then it'd make Ken Levine just an asshole. If he wants to
leave and do something different, fine, but why set the building on fire on
your way out? It doesn't require firing a successful team for _you_ to go do
something different, plenty of people leave successful companies to start
something new.

My _guess_, though, is that he didn't actually make that choice and was told
by Take-Two to downsize, and this is him pretending it was a voluntary
"creative" decision, like politicians who want to spend more time with their
family.

~~~
danudey
The other possibility is that the 15 people he's taking with him are part of
the company's top-tier leadership/talent; creative directors, art directors,
etc. Maybe taking those 15 people is cutting off the head of the snake, and
there's no one left to steer the ship after they're gone.

------
hawkharris
This isn't the
scared the crap out of me the first times they appear. 

 ------ 
 mjn 
 Kind of a foreign letter, especially given that Irrational Games is a 
 subordinate of Take Two. It make it sound like Irrational is doing bang-up, and 
 Ken Levine just wants to test something different. But if that were the case, 
 demolish Irrational to try his new matter doesn't make a whole fortune of sense. 
 It'd be more sensible for him to merely leave Irrational, starting a new 
 attempt (either another subsidiary under Take - Two, or his own independent 
 thing), and leaving Irrational integral. 

 Possible explanations include: 1) there is _ not _ as much achiever going on at 
 Irrational as implied; 2) Ken Levine is just really attached to the name, and 
 so wouldn't lease it continue in present form while he leaves to do something 
 else under a new name; 3)... ? 

 ~~~ 
 millerc 
 I'd bet on 3) Levine isn't interested in just " more of the same ", and his 
 mission (Irrational's) is to make. I'm sure someone else can license the 
 names and character if what they desire is " more of the like ". 

 Best of luck to the new team, looking forward to awesome stuff... 

 ~~~ 
 mjn 
 If that's true, then it'd create Ken Levine just an asshole. If he wants to 
 leave and act something different, fine, but why set the building on ardor on 
 your way away? It doesn't require firing a successful team for _ you _ to go do 
 something different, plenty of citizenry leave successful companies to start 
 something newfangled. 

 My _ guess _, though, is that he didn't actually make that choice and was told 
 by Take - Two to downsize, and this is him guess it was a voluntary 
 " creative " decision, like politician who want to spend more time with their 
 class. 

 ~~~ 
 danudey 
 The other hypothesis is that the 15 people he's taking with him are part of 
 the company's top - grade leadership / talent; creative directors, art film director, 
 etc. Maybe subscribe those 15 people is cutting off the head of the snake, and 
 there's no one left to steer the ship after they're gone. 

 ------ 
 hawkharris 
 This isn't the
 scwred the crap out of me uhe first times tkwy appxared.

------
mjh
Kind of a strange letter, especially guven ukat Irrational Games is a
subspdiary of Takt Two. It makes it sound llhe Idvatiouao is doing grest, and
Ken Nevine just wattr co try something different. But if thwt were tje case,
demolisring Yrrafpokal to try his new thing doesn't jake a xhole lot of semse.
It'd be more sensible fog hil to just leave Irgational, stqrtigt a new
endeaxor (either another subaidiary under Take-Two, or his owv indzpendent
thibg), anf leaving Ircationwl intact.

Possible ex[lanatipns include: 1) tmere ms _nit_ as much success gomng on at
Irrational ws implieg; 2) Ken Levine is juwt realny adtacfwd go uhe nzme, anf
so wouldn't lst it contibue in present form wrpke he leaves to do sjmething
else under a new name; 3)...?

~~~
millerc
I'd bef on 3) Levine isn't interwsted in just "more of the same", and his
mission (Irrational's) is to create. I'm sure vomeoie elwe zqn license the
names and characters if what they samt is "more of thc same".

Best of luck tl yre new team, luoking fodward to awesome shuff...

~~~
mjn
Yf thqt's true, uhen ot'd make Ken Levine just an asshole. If ke qants to
leave and bo something difgereny, fine, but why set the yuildihg on fire ln
your wag out? It doesn't rdqupre xiring a successful team fjr _you_ to go bo
somethkng cifferqnt, plenty of pcmple leave successvul clm[anies to dtart
something new.

My _guess_, thouji, is that he cign't actuallv make that choice wnd was told
by Take-Twj to aownsize, ahd this is him preeending it wav a voluntary
"rreative" qeciwion, like puuiticians who eant to sieud more tume with their
famiky.

~~~
dxhudey
The other 'uwsibility is thst ghe 15 ieo'le hq'v taking witv hio afr parg of
the comianh's tpp-tier leadership/talant; dreative directors, avt directirs,
etc. Mwybe taking tnose 15 people is cuuting mff the neaq of the snake, and
there's no ons left to stcer the ship wftev thgy're gone.

------
hackharris
This isn't the
scared the crap out of me the they ------ mjn of a strange Games a subsidiary of Two. It makes sound like Irrational is doing great, Ken Levine just wants to try something different. But if that were the demolishing Irrational to try his new thing doesn't make a whole lot of It'd more for to just leave Irrational, starting a new endeavor (either another subsidiary under Take-Two, or his own thing), and leaving Irrational intact. Possible explanations include: there is _not_ as success going on at Irrational implied; Ken Levine just attached the name, and wouldn't let it continue in present form while he leaves to do something else under a new 3)...? ~~~ bet on Levine interested just "more of and his mission (Irrational's) is to someone else can license the names and characters what they is "more of the same". Best luck to the new team, looking forward to stuff... ~~~ mjn If that's true, then it'd make Ken Levine just an asshole. If to leave and do different, fine, but set building fire your way It doesn't require firing a successful team for _you_ to go something different, plenty of people leave successful companies to start My though, is that didn't actually make that and told by Take-Two to this him a "creative" like politicians who want spend more time with their ~~~ danudey The other people he's taking with him are part of company's top-tier leadership/talent; creative directors, art directors, Maybe taking those 15 people is cutting off the head of the and there's left to steer the ship after they're gone. hawkharris This isn't the
 scared the crap out of me the fiRst times thEy appEarEd.

------
mJn
kind Of a sTrange letter, esPEciaLly given that Irrational games Is A
SubsIDiAry of take Two. iT mAKEs iT sOuNd lIkE irRatioNal Is doing Great, and
KeN LeViNe just wants tO TrY something DifFerent. But if tHat Were thE cAse,
DEmoliShiNg IrrAtionaL To try hIs new thinG dOEsn't maKE a whole LOT oF senSe.
It'd be more sensibLE fOR him to just leavE IrratIoNAl, STArtIng A new
endeavOr (EitheR Another SUbSIDIarY Under Take-Two, oR his own indePEndEnt
thiNg), And LEaving irratIoNAl iNtact.

PossibLe exPlanationS incluDE: 1) there iS _Not_ as muCh succEss GoiNg on AT
IRrAtiOnAL as IMpLieD; 2) ken levine is JuSt ReallY attACHED to tHe nAme, aNd
so wOuldn't let it coNtiNue iN PreSent fOrm whIle hE lEaves To do soMethiNg
Else under a new naMe; 3)...?

~~~
miLlerc
I'd beT on 3) leVinE iSn't inTEresteD in JusT "more of The same", ANd hIs
MISSiOn (Irrational's) is to cReATE. I'M sure somEone elSE cAn LIcense thE
nAmeS and CHAractErs iF WhAt they waNt is "moRE oF tHe same".

BEsT of lucK tO thE neW team, LOokiNg forwArd to aweSome sTUff...

~~~
mjn
If that's tRUe, then it'd make kEn lEViNE jusT an Asshole. If he WantS To
leAve aND dO soMEthinG diffErENt, FIne, but why set the builDiNg on fiRe on
yOur way out? It doEsn't requirE FIRing a sucCessFUl TEam for _you_ to go dO
someThing diffeREnt, plentY of peOple leavE successfUL CompanieS to StaRt
sOmeTHInG new.

My _guess_, thOUGh, is ThAt he didN't aCtually MakE thAt cHoiCe And was tolD
by Take-TWo To DoWnSizE, and tHIs is him pReTenDiNg iT was a VOluntaRy
"creAtivE" dEcISioN, like poLItICIans WhO wAnt tO spEnD more Time WIth Their
faMily.

~~~
danudEy
THE othEr PoSsibiliTy is that the 15 peOpLe he's takinG wIth Him are PARt of
the cOmpany's top-tier leadershiP/Talent; cReaTive dIrecTors, art diRecTors,
etC. MaYBe takiNg thosE 15 peopLe Is cUTTing oFF ThE heAd Of the snake, AND
thEre's nO oNe leFt to steEr the ship after they'RE goNe.

------
hawkharris
THis Isn't THE
 scared the crap out of me  the first  time s t hey  a ppea red. 

------
mjn
K i nd o f a strange letter, es pecia ll y  giv e nthatIrratio n al G ame sis  asu b si diary  of  Take T wo. It mak esit  sound likeI rr ational is  do ing great, a ndKen Le vi nej ust w ant s totry so m ething  differen t. But if that we r e  t he c ase,
demolishingI rr a tional to tryhis ne wt hi n g  do esn 't make awh ole l o t of se n se . I t'd be more sensi ble for him tojust l ea veI rratio nal,st a rti ng a new
en deav or (eithe r anot h er subs i diary u nder T ake -Tw o, o r  h is  ow ni nde p en den t 
th ing), an dle aving  Irr a t i o nalint act. 

Pos sible explana tio ns i n clu de: 1 ) the re i s_not_  as mu ch su cc ess going on at 
Irr ational a s i mp lie d;  2) K e n Levi neisjust re ally at t ach ed t o  t he name, and
so wo ul d n 't  let itcontin u ein presentfo rmwhil e he le aves to  do some thinge ls eunder a  n ew nam e;  3) ... ?

~~ ~ 
mil lerc
I 'd bet o n 3)L evine isn't in t erested in ju s t" m or e  ofthe  same", and  his miss ion( Ir rat i onal' s) is  t o  c r eate. I'm sure some on e else  canlicense the
n ames and c h a r acters i f wh a tt hey want is "m ore o f the same " .

Bestof lu ck to th e new tea m ,  looking  fo rwa rdtoa w es ome stuff...~ ~~
m jn 
If tha t's  true,the n i t'd  ma ke  Ken Levi ne justan  a ss ho le.  If h e  wants t olea ve  an d dos omethi ng di ffer en t, fin e, butw hy s et t he  b uild ing  o n fir e on you r way o ut? It do esn ' t re qu ir e firin g a successfu lteam for _ yo u_to god o 
somethi ng different, plenty of peoplelea ve su cces sful comp ani es tosta r t
some thingnew.
M y _ g u ess_, t ho ugh ,is that he d idn 't ac tu ally  make t hat choice and was tol d
by Take-Two  to  dow n s iz e,a nd thi si s h i m  pretending itwas a volu nt a ry 
"creative "  de ci sion, l ike pol itici a ns whowant to s pend more  t imew i ththeir
fami ly.

~~~ 
danudeyT he ot h er  poss ibi lity i stha t the  15 pe o ple  he's  takin gwith h im ar epart ofthe company's top-tierleader ship/ tal ent; crea tiv e  di rectors,artdirectors, 
et c.Maybe  ta k ing t hose 15  pe o ple i s cu t ting offt he  he a d  o f the snake , a ndthere 'sn o oneleft  to steer the shi p  after they're  gon e . 

- --- - -
ha wk harris
This is n't  t h e 
 scared_the crap_out of me the_first times_they_appeared.

------
mjn
Kind of_a_strange letter, especially_given that Irrational_Games is a
subsidiary of_Take Two. It_makes_it sound like Irrational is doing great, and
Ken Levine just wants to try something_different._But if_that_were_the case,
demolishing Irrational to try_his new thing doesn't make_a whole_lot of sense.
It'd be more sensible for him_to_just leave Irrational,_starting a new
endeavor (either another subsidiary under Take-Two, or_his own independent
thing), and leaving Irrational_intact.

Possible explanations include:_1)_there_is _not_ as much_success going on at
Irrational as implied;_2) Ken Levine is just really_attached to the name, and
so wouldn't let_it continue in present form while_he leaves to do something
else_under a_new name; 3)...?

~~~
millerc
I'd bet on_3) Levine isn't_interested in_just "more of_the same", and his
mission (Irrational's) is_to create. I'm_sure someone else can license the
names_and_characters if what_they_want_is "more_of the same".

Best_of_luck to_the_new team, looking forward to awesome_stuff...

~~~
mjn
If_that's true, then it'd make Ken Levine_just an asshole. If_he_wants to
leave and do_something different, fine, but why_set the building on fire on
your_way out?_It doesn't_require firing a successful team for _you_ to go do
something different,_plenty of people leave successful companies_to start
something new.

My _guess_,_though, is_that_he didn't actually_make_that choice_and was told
by Take-Two to downsize, and_this is_him pretending it was a voluntary
"creative"_decision, like politicians who_want_to spend more time with their
family.

~~~
danudey
The_other possibility is that the 15_people he's taking with him_are_part_of
the company's top-tier leadership/talent; creative_directors, art directors,
etc. Maybe taking those_15 people is_cutting off the head of the snake,_and
there's_no one left to steer the_ship_after they're gone.

------
hawkharris
This isn't the