2K Games' Ken Levine attended the Develop Conference 2008 In Brighton, England today, where he spent some time talking about development cycles, BioShock, and what a complete dick he is. Well, not a dick exactly...but definitely an implied dick. It started with his keynote address, entitled "BioShock and Awe: Immersing the Gamer in an Alternate World Without Drowning Out the Gameplay", where he discussed the lengthening development cycle, roles of the development team, and his inherent twaticity. "My background, I'm kind of a pretentious twat." Self-deprecating humor at it's finest! Ken could have just called it a day right there and the video game press quote gods would have been appeased, but then he went and talked to the folks at Videogaming247, addressing rumors that members of the BioShock team left because the didn't like him.
"I think the thing that was the most damaging is that it's not something I can respond to. There's no point in it. Look at the BioShock credit list and see how true that rumour is. My personality? I don't know. Maybe I am an asshole. "Honestly, the people I respect? Maybe I'm the nicest guy in the world, maybe I'm the biggest asshole. I couldn't tell you. I think people choose to work with me because I can work with them and make a game called BioShock.
So maybe Ken is a bit of a twat with a little asshole mixed in, but the point here is that he recognizes the fact and can live with it. Can't fault a man who knows who he is. Well you can, but it's more entertaining when he doesn't. Ken Levine: 'I'm kind of a pretentious twat' [Videogamer.com] Ken Levine: "Maybe I am an asshole," but rumour doesn't matter [Videogaming247]