2K’s BioShock series has seen three installments so far, and a fourth game is now in the works–with some key changes compared to the original three. For starters, series creator Ken Levine is not actively involved in the next game, which we will refer to in this post as BioShock 4 until 2K gives the game an actual name.
Beyond Levine not being directly involved, the new game is being made at an entirely new studio, Cloud Chamber. In this post, we’re rounding up everything we know about the next BioShock game, and we’ll continue to update this as more information eventually comes to light. Most recently, on August 1, it was reported that BioShock 4 “failed” a recent review, while a remake of the first game was canceled.
When will BioShock 4 be released?
The new BioShock game was announced in December 2019, and as part of that announcement, 2K confirmed only that the game was happening. It did not provide any release date, or even a release window, for when it might be available. At the time, 2K and developer Cloud Chamber said the game would be in development for “the next several years.” It’s now 2025, and there have not been any significant updates about the game since, however.
2K is owned by Take-Two, and the company has discussed how it believes it has a powerful lineup of compelling titles in the works across a number of franchises, including BioShock. BioShock is one of Take-Two’s 13 franchises that have individual titles with sales of more than 5 million units. The entire BioShock series has sold more than 43 million copies. And regarding Take-Two’s confidence in the brand, management highlighted that every game in the series has received at least one “perfect” review score from an accredited outlet.
Preorder BioShock 4
BioShock 4 is not yet available to preorder, but if it follows the pattern set by previous entries in the series, fans can expect a standard edition and likely multiple special editions of the game.
BioShock 4 trailer information
There is no trailer yet for BioShock 4, nor is there any word on when one might arrive. Publishers are known to make announcements during the summer game showcases around June, but as of yet, there is no indication or even a tease of any forthcoming BioShock reveals.
BioShock 4 platforms
Platform details for BioShock 4 have not been announced yet, but it’s likely the game will come to PC, as well as PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Though the original launched only on Xbox and PC, subsequent games had multiplatform releases.
BioShock 4 story, setting, and characters
The BioShock series is known for its narrative, with some of the stories weaving elements of people like Ayn Rand and George Orwell. The first two games were set in the underwater city of Rapture, with BioShock Infinite sending players into the skies in the airborne city of Columbia. All three games featured different protagonists. As of yet, however, there is no word on the setting, story, or characters for BioShock 4.
BioShock 4 game engine
A game engine for BioShock 4 has not been announced, but job listings at developer Cloud Chamber mention Unreal Engine 5. This is the newest version of Epic’s game-development engine, and previous BioShock games also used Unreal.
Who’s developing BioShock 4?
Whereas the original BioShock was made by 2K Boston, with 2K Marin handling BioShock 2, and Irrational Games making BioShock Infinite, BioShock 4 will be made by Cloud Chamber. This is a brand-new 2K studio with no games under its belt as of yet.
Cloud Chamber is described as a “collective of storytellers eager to push the frontlines of interactive entertainment by making unique, entertaining, and thoughtful experiences that engage the world.”
Cloud Chamber has offices in San Francisco and Montreal. Both Cloud Chamber studios are headed up by global studio head Kelley Gilmore, who has significant experience in various aspects of game development and publishing. At 2K in particular, Gilmore has worked on the Civilization and XCOM franchises.
“We founded Cloud Chamber to create yet-to-be-discovered worlds–and their stories within–that push the boundaries of what is possible in the video game medium,” Gilmore said. “Our team believes in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of its thinking. We are a deeply experienced group of game makers, including many responsible for BioShock’s principal creation, advancement, and longstanding notoriety, and [we are] honored to be part of the 2K family as stewards of this iconic franchise.”
Ken Schachter, previously general manager for Zynga in Toronto and founder of indie developer and publisher Trapdoor, is leading the Montreal team specifically.
Major changes
It was reported on August 1 that Gilmore was ousted following a “failed” review of BioShock 4 by 2K Games executives. Specifically, the narrative elements needed reworking, a report said. Additionally, it was reported that a remake of the original BioShock was canceled earlier this year.
Ken Levine is not involved “at all”
BioShock’s creator, Ken Levine, was not involved in BioShock 2 and he’s also not involved with BioShock 4. He said in 2022 that he’s not involved with BioShock 4 “at all.”
“I don’t want to do half measures. I never want to be half in half out. I wish them the best. I know as much about the game as anybody else, essentially. And I’ll play it as a player when it comes out,” he said.
So, what is Levine working on?
Following the release of BioShock Infinite in 2013, Irrational Games downsized significantly and was effectively rebranded as Ghost Story Games. Levine is heading up this new team, which is making the procedurally generated roguelite game Judas.
“We call it pseudo-procedural because it’s not like Minecraft where everything’s being generated off a set of pure mathematical heuristics,” Levine explained. “You build all these smaller piece elements in the game and then you teach the game how to make good levels essentially, and good story, and most importantly, reactive to what you do.”
The BioShock movie
In addition to the new BioShock game, Netflix is producing a BioShock movie and has hired The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence for it. The movie underwent significant changes due to an upheaval at Netflix, but it remains in the works. The Boys star Jack Quaid recently said he would love to be in it.
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