Levine's next treads unfamiliar ground
Will be "huge surprise" for fans, he says.
2K Boston creative chief Ken Levine is "champing at the bit" to talk about his next game, which features a type of gameplay "completely new" to him and his team.
"2K Boston is focused on our next project, which will probably come as a huge surprise to our audience and yet at the same time will make total sense once they see it. I will say that we're clicking on all cylinders," Levine told GameSpot.
"Besides delivering on the narrative experience we're known for, it will include a type of gameplay that is completely new to us - something the BioShock team has never really explored in depth before. In all areas (art, design, and programming), we spend half our day being totally psyched, and half our day wondering what we've gotten ourselves into. We're kind of humbled by the challenge.
"In the end, our new project is something we're champing at the bit to talk about," he said. "But we're not showing it to anybody and won't be for some time. In fact, the only way to get a look at it is to interview for a job with us."
Levine said there will be a "gaggle" of 2K Boston staff heading to the Game Developers Conference this week, sporting "Be big in Boston" t-shirts as they hunt for the "many more" developers needed to bring the next project to fruition.
Those attending won't be there to talk about the game, however, although Levine said there "may be some cool things" leaked.
"Something that will bring a small smile to old-school fans of the company," he explained. "Not a product announcement, but something they'll dig. I don't want to over-promise here, but we're psyched to roll it out."
Levine and team, incidentally, are "not involved in any way" with BioShock 2, which launches on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC later this year.
"It's entirely in 2K Marin's capable hands," reiterated Levine. "Frankly, I'm trying to keep myself at a distance from it so I, like all the other fans out there, can play it fresh when it's done."
You can find out much more about BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams over on its gamepage.