The gaming industry is about to experience another major change, as Rod Fergusson assumes the role of studio chief at Cloud Chamber – the studio from Take-Two Interactive that’s been working tirelessly on the long-awaited new BioShock title.
Initially, I came across a report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier over at BlueSky, where it was disclosed that Cloud Chamber is reducing its workforce in an undisclosed number. Not long after, Fergusson stepped forward on BlueSky to announce his new position as the head of the BioShock Franchise.
Fergusson expresses his heartfelt appreciation for the studio’s efforts thus far, and he is fully dedicated to creating a BioShock game that we can all take pride in, and one that our fans will adore.
Why is Fergusson joining Cloud Chamber now?
This news follows closely on the heels of a report by Schreier suggesting that the upcoming BioShock game is experiencing difficulties. According to Schreier, the game recently underwent a review by the publisher, which it failed, resulting in significant changes and the departure of the creative director. Additionally, a remake of the original BioShock, as previously planned, appears to have been temporarily halted.
In 2020, Take-Two Interactive unveiled Cloud Chamber as the studio responsible for continuing the BioShock series, hinting at a new installment in the franchise. However, since then, no official trailers or sneak peeks of the game (which doesn’t yet have an officially announced title) have been released.
As an analyst looking back on gaming developments, I can share that the existence of a fourth BioShock game was hinted at by Jason Schreier’s report in 2020. However, it wasn’t until that year that we officially learned about this project; unbeknownst to many, development on
Significantly, Fergusson revealed his departure from Blizzard Entertainment shortly following the previously mentioned report.
Not the first time around
As a researcher, I’d rephrase that statement as follows: In 2012, I found myself joining Irrational Games (now Ghost Story Games) for the second time, stepping into a team grappling with the challenge of delivering a BioShock game. With my background as a seasoned producer, I was tasked with addressing scope creep and making tough decisions about what creative elements to prioritize or trim down, working closely with Ken Levine and the rest of the studio to ensure our creative vision remained focused and achievable.
By 2013, BioShock Infinite was released to the public, having been worked on for more than five years beforehand. This game received widespread praise from critics and enjoyed substantial commercial success, with sales exceeding 11 million units within a single year.
Prior to his short yet impactful stint at Irrational Games, Fergusson was previously employed at Epic Games where he worked on the Gears of War series for Xbox.
Following that point, Fergusson has been involved with various projects, one of which was returning to Microsoft to contribute to Gears of War again. He took charge of the team at Xbox Game Studios’ The Coalition, overseeing the release of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Gears of War 4, and Gears 5 in 2015, 2016, and 2019 respectively.
In the year 2020, Fergusson took on the role of leading the Diablo franchise at Blizzard Entertainment. Under his guidance, Diablo 4 was successfully launched in 2023. The game was met with critical acclaim and generated an impressive $666 million in revenue during its first five days on sale.
Microsoft is expected to acquire Blizzard Entertainment, as part of the broader purchase of Activision Blizzard King, according to a deal that was completed in October 2023.
BioShock is important for Take-Two Interactive to get right
Although Take-Two Interactive is best known for its blockbuster games developed by Rockstar, such as the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, BioShock remains significant. Known for their storyline-focused gameplay, it’s been more than a decade since a new BioShock title was released.
Remarkably, it appears we’re looking at a significant gap between releases – approximately spanning two console generations for the potential fourth BioShock game.
Although it’s unfortunate for the Cloud Chamber team dealing with such a challenge, my sympathies go out to those impacted by the reported layoffs. Still, I remain optimistic that Fergusson’s extensive experience will enable the team to deliver the game, avoiding significant development hurdles in the future.
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2025-08-19 19:40