Bad news for Bioshock fans comes as a new report from Bloomberg highlights some game and staff shakeups for the series. The development of Bioshock 4 will undergo a significant overhaul after failing a review by 2K Games executives, and a remake of the first Bioshock game has been shelved, according to unnamed sources in the report. This news is sure to come as a blow to fans, who have been waiting for movement in the Bioshock franchise for years now.
Responding to questions sent by Bloomberg, 2K Games issued a statement regarding the future direction of the Bioshock series.
“We are working hard to set BioShock up for the best possible future,” 2K Games told Bloomberg. “Right now, we have a good game, but we are committed to delivering a great one. We are working closely with leadership at the studio to define this path.”
Bloomberg says that a spokesman also confirmed a change in leadership personnel for the next BioShock title and expressed that the company was “fully committed to ensuring we deliver a BioShock game that exceeds the lofty expectations of our fans.”
Citing anonymous sources, the report written by Game Journalist Jason Schreier said that a previously in-development remake of the original BioShock was shelved earlier this year, but didn’t elaborate on any reasoning for its cancellation. Bioshock fans have been kept waiting for a new series release since 2013, and it seems like that wait will continue for quite a while yet.
A change in direction and the development of a new title in the Bioshock franchise was first announced back in 2019, along with the formation of developer Cloud Chamber to work on it.
“As we continue growing our product portfolio, we remain inspired by opportunities to invest further in our valuable IP, great people and their collective, long-term potential,” said David Ismailer, President of 2K, in a press release at the time. “BioShock is one of the most beloved, critically praised and highest-rated franchises of the last console generation. We can’t wait to see where its powerful narrative and iconic, first-person shooter gameplay head in the future with our new studio team at Cloud Chamber leading the charge.”
However, it seems like attitudes about Cloud Chamber’s efforts have soured in the intervening years. Schreier’s new report cited a recent all-hands meeting that left Cloud Chamber staff with the impression that layoffs may be forthcoming. Cloud Chamber Creative Head Kelley Gilmore was reportedly ousted, and Creative Director Hogarth de la Plante was transitioned into a publishing role.
Reportedly, senior executives were not thrilled with the progress made on the possible Bioshock 4 after all these years, identifying problems with the game’s narrative that will need to undergo a significant revamp in the coming months.
With the series experiencing development problems, it makes sense that a potential Bioshock remake has been shelved, but the news will come as a disappointment to many fans who would have liked to have an updated version. In 2016, a release called BioShock: The Collection featured remastered versions of Bioshock and Bioshock 2. While these versions contained enhanced graphics, they didn’t do much to update some of the games’ outdated mechanics.
The original Dead Space received a complete remaster in 2023, which was adored by fans and critics alike. It featured a fleshed-out storyline and characters, the introduction of new mechanics, and the removal of loading screens to make it a more immersive experience. Unfortunately, it seems that now, Bioshock fans won’t get a similar experience for their franchise.
What are your thoughts? Should work continue on a Bioshock remake, or are the developers better off focusing on the new title instead?
