What Is Going On With the New BioShock Game?

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For over ten years, a new BioShock game has been in development, but so far, there hasn’t been any official news – no images, trailers, or even a confirmed title. The BioShock series is highly regarded as one of gaming’s best, though it’s a franchise with only three games released to date, the last being BioShock Infinite in 2013. This limited number of releases actually highlights its impact – those three games have maintained a strong hold on fans for over a decade thanks to their compelling stories, engaging gameplay, and immersive worlds.

The success of BioShock Infinite led many to expect a fourth game in the series. However, creator Ken Levine surprisingly decided to essentially close down Irrational Games, letting go of most of the team. It wasn’t a financial issue; Levine simply wanted to start over with a smaller group and work on something new. This controversial move meant putting BioShock on hold. Instead, Levine began developing Judas, a game that builds upon many of the concepts found in BioShock.

Despite the previous game’s difficulties, the BioShock series isn’t over. Take-Two Interactive created a new studio, Cloud Chamber, to develop the next installment. This was revealed in 2019, but updates since then have been infrequent and haven’t always generated excitement. Nevertheless, I’ve gathered almost everything we currently know about the game, currently referred to as BioShock 4.

Everything We Know About BioShock 4

While a new BioShock game was announced in 2019, development actually started much earlier – as far back as 2014. The project has faced numerous setbacks and changes, including multiple restarts and complete redesigns, making its journey to completion quite challenging.

The development team for the new game includes several key people who worked on the original BioShock, such as art director Scott Sinclair, designer Jonathan Pelling, and Hoagy de la Plante, who previously contributed to all three BioShock titles. This time, de la Plante is leading the project as creative director. This is important because the game is being made by the people who originally established the BioShock franchise, rather than newcomers.

Like many game projects, development on this one happened quietly behind the scenes. In December 2021, a major update surfaced: former IGN editor Colin Moriarty revealed on his podcast, Sacred Symbols, that BioShock 4—currently known as Parkside—is set in a made-up Antarctic city called Borealis during the 1960s.

Moriarty mentioned that development of BioShock 4 is being kept very secretive, and while the team is well-positioned to succeed, they’re facing significant internal pressure. The team is aware that their work will inevitably be compared to the previous BioShock games and anything Ken Levine creates in the future, so they’re determined to deliver a high-quality experience.

In February 2022, Netflix announced plans for a BioShock movie directed by Francis Lawrence. It’s interesting to note this because video game adaptations often increase game sales. By introducing the game’s world to a wider audience through a film, it can create excitement and encourage people to purchase the game. Therefore, it makes sense that Take-Two would consider licensing the BioShock franchise for a movie, potentially releasing it alongside a new game to revitalize interest and sales.

The BioShock movie is still being made, even though it’s been almost four years since it was first announced. The producers regularly share updates to let fans know it hasn’t been forgotten. Francis Lawrence is currently filming a new Hunger Games movie, and he’s expected to start work on BioShock after that wraps up. This timing could be an important detail people are missing, and we’ll come back to it later.

In 2024, a leaked screenshot first gave fans a possible glimpse of BioShock 4. Shared by MP1st, the image came from a 2021 demo and offered a few hints about the game. It showed a unique weapon called the “Ricochet Shotgun,” which appears to fire bullets that bounce to hit multiple enemies. The screenshot also revealed a weapon wheel, indicating players will likely have access to a variety of weapons during gameplay.

The screen showed plasmids, which act like special abilities for your character. One seemed to control time, another gave you magnetic powers, and the last one provided electric powers – a feature we’ve encountered in past games.

The ability to control time appears to be a key element of the game. We noticed clock imagery associated with the plasmids, and an hourglass near the health and another unidentified gauge. This hints that time will be a central theme in BioShock 4, though the extent of its importance is still a mystery.

In August 2025, Bloomberg reported that an internal review of BioShock 4 revealed problems with the story. Studio leaders weren’t satisfied with the game’s direction, leading fans to worry the project was stalled indefinitely – what’s often called “development hell.” Usually, developers and publishers don’t comment on such reports, but 2K Games made an exception. They confirmed BioShock 4 was progressing, but emphasized their commitment to making it exceptional and finding the best way to achieve that goal.

Around the same period, Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, assured fans that BioShock 4 was still on track and wouldn’t be cancelled, despite taking a long time to develop. He explained it’s important to be confident before making such a commitment. Shortly after, Cloud Chamber experienced some significant internal changes.

Rod Fergusson has joined the team working on BioShock 4 as the head of the BioShock franchise. He’s been brought on board to help finish the game and oversee other projects, including the upcoming Netflix film. While known for his work on Gears of War and Diablo, Fergusson is also credited with successfully guiding BioShock Infinite through a difficult development process. He joined that project in its final year and made key decisions to ensure its timely release. Because of this, many believe his involvement with BioShock 4 is a good sign that the game will be released on schedule and to a high standard.

Don’t expect BioShock 4 to come out in 2026. While the game was originally aiming for a late 2026 or early 2027 launch, recent changes mean that timeframe is no longer realistic. Now, the most likely release window is late 2027 or early 2028. In August, the development team at Cloud Chamber reduced its staff by about a third to give the remaining members more time and create a better focus on the new BioShock game.

When Will We See BioShock 4?

Don’t expect to see BioShock 4 released very soon. There have been issues with the game’s story and recent changes in who’s leading the project, which likely means a lot of work is being revised. The most probable time for a reveal now seems to be at The Game Awards next December. Announcing it then would be huge, and would align with a potential late 2027 release date – a good time to start building hype.

The new BioShock game could be released around the same time as the upcoming BioShock movie. Director Francis Lawrence is scheduled to finish the next Hunger Games film in November 2026, and will likely start working on BioShock immediately after. Lawrence is a fast worker and seems to be getting a head start on pre-production, meaning the movie is already well-planned. He recently released The Long Walk just weeks after beginning filming on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which was only announced a few months ago.

If everything goes well with the current development, a BioShock movie could be streaming on Netflix by late 2027 or early 2028. Releasing a movie could also help build excitement for BioShock 4, which is expected to come out around the same time.

Despite any challenges, 2K Games appears dedicated to developing BioShock 4. Whether the final game is successful remains to be seen. While there’s a skilled team working on it and the project sounds promising, they know it needs to be exceptional to meet fan expectations and live up to the series’ reputation.

What are you hoping for in the next BioShock game? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-24 02:42