BioShock: Infinite was building up to a renaissance setting, until Assassin’s Creed 2 released and put developer Irrational Games off the idea.

Speaking with Polygon, Irrational Games user experience specialist Bill Gardner explained that when he was lead designer on the project, he wanted it set during the period.

Said Gardner, “I will say that I was actually pushing for something more Renaissance, but within six month Assassin’s Creed 2 was announced and I was like ‘OK, well they beat us to the punch'”

He added, “We cut off enough things to make five or six full games. It is alarming. I mean, it pains you when you are talking about about cutting one of your babies but ultimately you got to to look at the final piece. A year later the audience is not going to care and eventually you don’t care.”

So, a BioShock game set in the time of Ezio, high art and the mage pope. What might that have looked like?

Thanks Game Informer.