Interview: Irrational Games

[SlappingOysters]

Gameplayer (http://www.gameplayer.com.au/Home/FEATURES/FEATURE/tabid/1488/Default.aspx?CID=d2a2821d-6238-4be4-979a-6f2e29ecf8f2) has spoken with Joe McDonagh, the Senior Designer at the Canberra wing of Irrational Games, about their upcoming BioShock release and about being a game developer in Australia.

The industry is pushing hard for more government tax breaks, similar to the ones given to the film industry. Canadian game developers are given an enormous amount of government support. It’s hard to compete when the playing field isn’t level.

[Gideon Ransom]

There are people living in Australia? I thought it was a prison colony?

[Gilius Thunderhead]

There are people living in Australia? I thought it was a prison colony?

Just means that McDonagh is a rapist 'longside the rest of 'em.

[ElPresidente]

Pffft... come throw insults when your country has all its major capitals listed in the top ten of the Economist's World's Most Liveable Cities. :P

[JimmyDanger]

Not an incredibly informative interview - but interesting nonetheless..

I suppose with Pandemic up in QLD (DAH, Battlefront) and the Irrational studio down in the ACT - we're not doing too badly for a country with a population around 20 million....

[ElPresidente]

Of course lets not forget Auran (Fury, Dark Reign) and Infinite Interactive (Warlords, Puzzle Quest).

[SlappingOysters]

or Krome. (Ty, Hellboy, Spyro and the legendary and horrendously underrated Sunny Garcia Surfing - damn I want a sequel!!!)

[ElPresidente]

Woops... forgot Krome *slaps head*

This is especially shameful since Krome used to be known as Melbourne House who made some absolute classics since their founding in the 80s. Games include:

Way of the Exploding Fist
The Hobbit (ZX Spectrum/C64/etc version)
Shadowrun on the SNES
KKND


To name a few.