2K Marin

{{Infobox company

| name = 2K Marin, Inc.

| logo = 2K Marin Logo.svg

| type = Subsidiary

| industry = Video games

| founded = {{Start date and age|2007|12|17}}

| founder =

| defunct = {{End date|2013|10|17}}

| hq_location_city = Novato, California

| hq_location_country = US

| parent = 2K

}}

2K Marin, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Novato, California. Founded in December 2007 as a spin-off from their parent, 2K, the company developed BioShock 2 (2010) and The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (2013) before laying off or relocating all staff in October 2013 and silently being closed.

History

The formation of 2K Marin was announced on December 17, 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/take-two-opens-new-marin-2k-studio |title=Take-Two Opens New Marin 2K Studio |first=Leigh |last=Alexander |date=December 17, 2007 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064810/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/107616/TakeTwo_Opens_New_Marin_2K_Studio.php |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-opens-new-californian-studio |title=Take Two opens new Californian studio |first=Matt |last=Martin |date=December 17, 2007 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224173408/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-opens-new-californian-studio |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=live }} The studio was spun out of 2K, a publishing subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, to develop a second installment in the BioShock series, following disputes with Ken Levine, the director of the first game.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2007/12/rumor-roundup-w-2/ |title=Rumor Roundup: What's Up With 2K Marin And BioShock |first=Chris |last=Kohler |date=December 17, 2007 |magazine=Wired |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224173518/https://www.wired.com/2007/12/rumor-roundup-w-2/ |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=live }}

In April 2010, for the development of XCOM (later The Bureau: XCOM Declassified), sister studio 2K Australia adopted the 2K Marin name.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/5518388/2k-studio-name-madness-continues-with-new-xcom-game |title=2K Studio Name Madness Continues With New XCOM Game |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |date=April 16, 2010 |website=Kotaku |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224173331/https://kotaku.com/5518388/2k-studio-name-madness-continues-with-new-xcom-game |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=live }} The studio dropped the 2K Marin label in November 2011 and returned to the previous 2K Australia name, this time for BioShock Infinite.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/report-2k-canberra-renamed-back-to-2k-australia-working-on-i-bioshock-infinite-i- |title=Report: 2K Canberra Renamed Back To 2K Australia, Working On Bioshock Infinite |first=Mike |last=Rose |date=November 25, 2011 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219090413/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/128360/Report_2K_Canberra_Renamed_Back_To_2K_Australia_Working_On_Bioshock_Infinite.php |archive-date=February 19, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/11/2ks-canberra-studio-renamed-again-now-working-on-bioshock-infinite/ |title=2K's Canberra Studio Renamed (Again), Now Working On BioShock Infinite |first=Mark |last=Serrels |date=November 28, 2011 |website=Kotaku Australia |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219090158/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/11/2ks-canberra-studio-renamed-again-now-working-on-bioshock-infinite/ |archive-date=February 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}

On October 17, 2013, 2K announced that 2K Marin had been hit with massive staff reductions, laying off the majority of employees.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/10/17/4849484/the-bureau-xcom-declassified-dev-2k-marin-undergoing-layoffs |title=BioShock 2, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified dev 2K Marin hit with massive layoffs |first=Griffin |last=McElroy |date=October 17, 2013 |website=Polygon |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023194830/https://www.polygon.com/2013/10/17/4849484/the-bureau-xcom-declassified-dev-2k-marin-undergoing-layoffs |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |url-status=live }} All remaining developers were to be shifted to an unnamed 2K studio founded with Rod Fergusson.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/layoffs-hit-2k-marin-remaining-workforce-to-be-reallocated- |title=Layoffs hit 2K Marin, remaining workforce to be 'reallocated' |first=Kris |last=Ligman |date=October 17, 2013 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064726/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/202603/Layoffs_hit_2K_Marin_remaining_workforce_to_be_reallocated.php |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |url-status=live }} That studio, like 2K Marin based in Novato, was announced by Fergusson in September that year.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/epic-irrational-alumnus-to-helm-2k-s-newest-studio |title=Epic, Irrational alumnus to helm 2K's newest studio |first=Kris |last=Ligman |date=September 26, 2013 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064724/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/201086/Epic_Irrational_alumnus_to_helm_2Ks_newest_studio.php |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/9/26/4774148/new-2k-studio-rod-fergusson-san-francisco-bay-area |title=Former Gears of War, BioShock Infinite producer heading new 2K studio |first=Samit |last=Sarkar |date=September 26, 2013 |website=Polygon |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064850/https://www.polygon.com/2013/9/26/4774148/new-2k-studio-rod-fergusson-san-francisco-bay-area |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |url-status=live }} Some former employees agreed that 2K Marin was "essentially closed" due to these layoffs, as the employee count had sunk to zero.{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/10/17/sources-bureau-xcom-bioshock-2-dev-essentially-closed/ |title=Sources: Bureau XCOM, BioShock 2 Dev 'Essentially' Closed |first=Nathan |last=Grayson |date=October 17, 2013 |website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913100222/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/10/17/sources-bureau-xcom-bioshock-2-dev-essentially-closed/ |archive-date=September 13, 2018 |url-status=live }} 2K Marin was shut down silently, which has not been publicly acknowledged by 2K.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/sources-the-new-bioshock-has-been-in-the-works-for-yea-1840314561 |title=Sources: The New BioShock Has Been In The Works For Years |first=Jason |last=Schreier |date=December 9, 2019 |website=Kotaku}}

Despite this, Take-Two Interactive's chairman and chief executive officer, Strauss Zelnick, stated in May 2014 that 2K Marin was still active, and that future BioShock games would be developed at the studio.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-05-30-zelnick-2k-marin-now-responsible-for-bioshock-franchise |title=Zelnick: 2K Marin now "responsible for" Bioshock franchise |first=Rachel |last=Weber |date=May 30, 2014 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224232701/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-05-30-zelnick-2k-marin-now-responsible-for-bioshock-franchise |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/2k-marin-has-been-put-in-charge-of-i-bioshock-i-s-future |title=2K Marin has been put in charge of BioShock{{'s}} future |first=Mike |last=Rose |date=May 30, 2014 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224173445/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/218717/2K_Marin_has_been_put_in_charge_of_BioShocks_future.php |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=live }} 2K later announced in December 2019 that the new BioShock game was being developed by a new internal studio, Cloud Chamber, which had taken over the old 2K Marin spaces.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-12-09-bioshock-in-development-at-new-2k-studio-cloud-chamber |title=New BioShock game announced, still "several" years away |first=Tom |last=Phillips |date=December 9, 2019 |website=Eurogamer}}

Games developed

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year

! Title

! Platform(s)

! Notes

2008

| BioShock

| PlayStation 3{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/28/2k-games-injects-playstation-3-system-owners-with-genetically-enhanced-version-of-bioshock |title=2K Games Injects PlayStation 3 System Owners with Genetically Enhanced Version of BioShock |author=IGN Staff |date=May 28, 2008 |website=IGN}}

| Ported only; game developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia

2010

| BioShock 2

| Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

| rowspan="2" {{N/A}}

2013

| The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

| Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360