Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this extra special Deep Dive bonus interview, Nightdive's Lawrence Sonntag sits down with the legendary Ken Levine, lead designer and writer on System Shock 2 and co-founder of Ghost Story Games (formerly Irrational Games), to talk about his work on System Shock 2, his approach to game writing and development, vision for Ghost Story Games' upcoming first-person shooter Judas, and more!
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System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster
— Available Now on PC Platforms —
===================================
🟢 Xbox: bit.ly/SS2AR-Xbox
🔵 PlayStation: bit.ly/SS2AR-PlayStation
🔴 Nintendo Switch: bit.ly/SS2AR-Nintendo
🟡 Steam: bit.ly/SS2AR-Steam
🟣 GOG: bit.ly/SS2AR-GOG
⭕ Epic: bit.ly/SS2AR-Epic
🟠 Humble: bit.ly/SS2AR-Humble
===================================
Connect With Us!
===================================
IG ➡️ instagram.com/nightdivestudios
Twitch ➡️ twitch.tv/nightdivestudios
TikTok ➡️ tiktok.com/@nightdive.studios
Discord ➡️ discord.com/invite/nightdivestudios
Facebook ➡️ facebook.com/NightDiveStudios
X | Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/NightdiveStudio
===================================
⏰ Timecodes ⏰
===================================
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - Inspirations behind System Shock 2
3:52 - Challenges in bringing a game's vision to life
9:42 - Incorporation of theme and surprising the player
14:53 - Player interaction, agency, and narrative
18:05 - How a game establishes a relationship with the player
22:02 - The "Shocky" games are all about human nature
26:58 - The genius and novice in game design
28:45 - Themes of technology, people, and AI
31:09 - Our relationship with machines
33:06 - Art is about interaction
37:33 - Ken on making the types of games he'd want to play
40:37 - What went right or wrong in System Shock 2
44:43 - The effectiveness of sound propagation
47:32 - Using lack of information as an artistic tool
52:08 - The reasons for sticking to single-player games
54:22 - Final thoughts and Judas trailer
===================================
#nightdive #deepdive #systemshock #systemshock2 #interview #podcast #gaming
In this extra special Deep Dive bonus interview, Nightdive's Lawrence Sonntag sits down with the legendary Ken Levine, lead designer and writer on System Shock 2 and co-founder of Ghost Story Games (formerly Irrational Games), to talk about his work on System Shock 2, his approach to game writing and development, vision for Ghost Story Games' upcoming first-person shooter Judas, and more!
===================================
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster
— Available Now on PC Platforms —
===================================
🟢 Xbox: bit.ly/SS2AR-Xbox
🔵 PlayStation: bit.ly/SS2AR-PlayStation
🔴 Nintendo Switch: bit.ly/SS2AR-Nintendo
🟡 Steam: bit.ly/SS2AR-Steam
🟣 GOG: bit.ly/SS2AR-GOG
⭕ Epic: bit.ly/SS2AR-Epic
🟠 Humble: bit.ly/SS2AR-Humble
===================================
Connect With Us!
===================================
IG ➡️ instagram.com/nightdivestudios
Twitch ➡️ twitch.tv/nightdivestudios
TikTok ➡️ tiktok.com/@nightdive.studios
Discord ➡️ discord.com/invite/nightdivestudios
Facebook ➡️ facebook.com/NightDiveStudios
X | Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/NightdiveStudio
===================================
⏰ Timecodes ⏰
===================================
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - Inspirations behind System Shock 2
3:52 - Challenges in bringing a game's vision to life
9:42 - Incorporation of theme and surprising the player
14:53 - Player interaction, agency, and narrative
18:05 - How a game establishes a relationship with the player
22:02 - The "Shocky" games are all about human nature
26:58 - The genius and novice in game design
28:45 - Themes of technology, people, and AI
31:09 - Our relationship with machines
33:06 - Art is about interaction
37:33 - Ken on making the types of games he'd want to play
40:37 - What went right or wrong in System Shock 2
44:43 - The effectiveness of sound propagation
47:32 - Using lack of information as an artistic tool
52:08 - The reasons for sticking to single-player games
54:22 - Final thoughts and Judas trailer
===================================
#nightdive #deepdive #systemshock #systemshock2 #interview #podcast #gaming
