2K Australia

2K Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Irrational Games Australia Pty. Ltd.) was an Australian video game developer based in Canberra. The company was founded as Irrational Games Australia, a subsidiary of Irrational Games, in April 2000. Irrational Games Australia and its parent were acquired by Take-Two Interactive in January 2006, with Irrational Games being placed under the 2K label. The two Irrational Games studio were split apart in August 2007, wherefore Irrational Games Australia became 2K Australia. Furthermore, 2K Australia under the name of sister studios 2K Marin between April 2010 and November 2011, and was finally shut down in April 2015.

2K Australia Pty Ltd

Formerly	Irrational Games Australia Pty. Ltd. (2000–2007)
Former type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Fate	Dissolved
Founded	27 April 2000 (2000-04-27)
Defunct	15 April 2015 (2015-04-15)
Headquarters	Canberra , Australia
Parent	Irrational Games (2000–2007) 2K (2007–2015)

History

Irrational Games Australia was founded on 27 April 2000 as a subsidiary of Irrational Games.[1] On 9 January 2006, Take-Two Interactive announced that they acquired Irrational Games, including Irrational Games Australia, and placed it under their 2K label.[2] On 10 August 2007, shortly prior to the release of BioShock, the two Irrational Games studio were split apart, with Irrational Games becoming 2K Boston, and Irrational Games Australia turning into 2K Australia.[3][4]

For the development of XCOM (later The Bureau: XCOM Declassified) in April 2010, 2K Australia started operating under the name of 2K Marin, another 2K studio.[5] On 28 February 2011, 2K Australia's studio head, Martin Slater, abruptly left the company.[6] On 20 October 2011, layoffs hit 2K Marin's Australian studio, with 15 jobs cut.[7][8] Following the layoffs, on 28 November 2011, it was reported that the studio had dropped the 2K Marin label, and was working under their 2K Australia name again, this time on BioShock Infinite.[9][10]

Chey, who had led the company as studio head, left 2K Australia by July 2011, when he founded his own video game studio, Blue Manchu.[11] On 15 April 2015, 2K Australia was closed down and all staff were made redundant.[12][13] At closure, 2K Australia was considered to have been the last AAA video game company in Australia.[14]

Games developed

As Irrational Games Australia

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Notes
2002	Freedom Force	Microsoft Windows	Assisted Irrational Games
2004	Tribes: Vengeance	Microsoft Windows
2005	SWAT 4	Microsoft Windows	Assisted Irrational Games
2006	SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate	Microsoft Windows

As 2K Australia

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Notes
2007	BioShock	Microsoft Windows	Assisted 2K Boston
		Xbox 360
2008		PlayStation 3
2010	BioShock 2	Microsoft Windows	Assisted 2K Marin
		PlayStation 3
		Xbox 360
	BioShock 2: Minerva's Den	PlayStation 3
		Xbox 360
2011		Microsoft Windows
2013	BioShock Infinite	Microsoft Windows	Assisted Irrational Games
		PlayStation 3
		Xbox 360
	The Bureau: XCOM Declassified	Microsoft Windows	Assisted 2K Marin
		PlayStation 3
		Xbox 360
2014	Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!	Microsoft Windows
		PlayStation 3
		Xbox 360

References

1. "IGA Announces formation". Irrational Games. 27 April 2000. Archived from the original on 3 February 2001.
2. Jenkins, David (9 January 2006). "Take-Two Acquires Irrational Games". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
3. Elliott, Phil (10 August 2007). "Irrational gets 2K rebrand". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
4. Grant, Christopher (10 August 2007). "BioShock goes gold, Irrational Games becomes 2K Boston / 2K Australia". Engadget. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
5. Plunkett, Luke (16 April 2010). "2K Studio Name Madness Continues With New XCOM Game". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
6. Grant, Christopher (28 February 2011). "2K Australia studio head resigns in the middle of XCOM; 2K responds". Engadget. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
7. Sliwinski, Alexander (20 October 2011). "Rumor: 2K Marin in Australia hit by layoffs". Engadget. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
8. Serrels, Mark (20 October 2011). "Rumour: Fresh Staff Cuts At 2K's Canberra Studio". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
9. Rose, Mike (25 November 2011). "Report: 2K Canberra Renamed Back To 2K Australia, Working On Bioshock Infinite". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
10. Serrels, Mark (28 November 2011). "2K's Canberra Studio Renamed (Again), Now Working On BioShock Infinite". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
11. Kozanecki, James (20 July 2011). "Irrational co-founder spawns new studio". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
12. Hindes, Daniel (15 April 2015). "[Update] Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Developer 2K Australia Has Shut Down". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
13. Serrels, Mark (16 April 2015). "2K Australia In Canberra Closes Its Doors". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
14. Serrels, Mark (21 April 2015). "The Heartwarming Response To The Closure Of 2K Australia". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.