BC (video game)

BC is an unreleased sandbox-style action-adventure video game that was in development by Intrepid Computer Entertainment for the original Xbox console. The game was notable for its ambitious premise and early demonstrations of its advanced AI system.

The game was set 2 million years in the past, during the Pleistocene epoch. Players would have controlled a tribe of early hominids and were tasked with ensuring their survival. Gameplay would have revolved around hunting, gathering, crafting, and defending against predators. A key element of BC was the realistic animal AI. The developers aimed to create animals with complex behaviors and motivations, allowing them to act independently and react realistically to the player's actions and environment. Animals would have had daily routines, needs, and social structures. Predators would have hunted prey in packs, and herbivores would have migrated in search of food.

The game's development was spearheaded by Peter Molyneux, who had previously worked on titles such as Populous, Theme Park, and Black & White. The project was highly anticipated due to its innovative AI and unique setting.

Despite significant pre-release hype and demonstrations that showed impressive animal behavior, BC was ultimately cancelled in 2004 when Microsoft, its publisher, acquired Lionhead Studios, a company Molyneux founded after leaving Bullfrog Productions. Microsoft refocused Lionhead's efforts on Fable, leading to the discontinuation of BC. No playable version of the game was ever officially released to the public.