'Irrational Games' Returns as BioShock Developer Regains Original Name

BioShock creator 2K Boston has returned to its original name of Irrational Games, Game Informer reveals, undoing the renaming by owner 2K Games in 2007.

According to Game Informer, Irrational "recognized a value in the previous identity and the legacy that was tied to it." The Irrational Games name saw the release of titles including Freedom Force, SWAT 4, Tribes: Vengeance and the sublime System Shock 2.

The new Irrational logo and BioShock.

Irrational has yet to announce what it's been developing since BioShock, though co-founder Ken Levine has described the project as "pretty crazy ambitious" while job listings have revealed they're working on a shooter and rumours continue to swirl that the mystery project is a revival of the long-dormant classic PC tactical series X-Com.

2K Australia--formerly Irrational Games' Australian studio and currently assisting 2K Marin with BioShock 2--is to retain its current name.

Irrational's new website currently bears only a countdown ending at 11am EST tomorrow, though GI says it will soon launch in earnest with such goodies as "insight into the game creation process" and "never-before-seen tidbits" of Irrational's past releases.