Summary
- BioShock 4, the highly anticipated sequel, is confirmed to be in development by the new studio, Cloud Chamber, but there is no official release date yet.
- Leaks and rumors suggest that BioShock 4 will be set in an Antarctic city with a surface level for the wealthy and a deeper level for the poor, focusing on class politics.
- Fans are eager for any updates or news about BioShock 4, even if it's just a title reveal, cinematic trailer, or progress update. That said, Cloud Chamber should take its time to ensure a high-quality game that lives up to the series' legacy.
2007 is widely considered to be one of the greatest years in gaming, and its titles like the original BioShock that give credence to that notion. A first-person shooter with a horror undertone, the first BioShock was a huge critical hit upon its initial release, and rightfully so. With one of the most unique and immersive settings in all of gaming, along with some satisfying combat mechanics and a great story, BioShock still holds up all these years later. But while players can return to the underwater world of Rapture whenever they'd like, it isn't the same as experiencing a new BioShock setting for the first time, hence why BioShock 4 is so highly anticipated.
While some fans may have soured on BioShock Infinite in recent years, the whole series is still generally considered to be one of gaming's all-time greats, and it's only natural that another sequel would be on the way. But while BioShock 4 is confirmed to be in development, that's about all that fans know in an official capacity, and it's about time that BioShock 4's developer gave fans another update.
It's Time for BioShock 4 to Break its Radio Silence
All the way back at the start of December 2019, 2K's official Twitter account posted a statement that announced the founding of a brand-new development studio named Cloud Chamber. In the same Tweet, 2K announced that Cloud Chamber would be the studio handling the "next iteration" of the BioShock franchise, and that it would be in development for "several years." It's now been almost four years since that statement was made, and BioShock 4 is nowhere to be seen.
That December 2019 Tweet is the first and only real piece of official information 2K or Cloud Chamber has really given about BioShock 4, but that doesn't mean that fans have been left with nothing at all to go on. Over the course of the last four years, a good few leaks and rumors have started to crop up about BioShock 4. The vast majority of these rumors agree that BioShock 4 will be set in an Antarctic city that has a surface level, and a level deep under the watery depths. Much like the rest of the series, BioShock 4 will apparently revolve around class politics, with its surface world being reserved for the wealthy while the poor reside in the depths below.
But while these leaks have been fairly substantial, they aren't official by any means, and fans can't rely on them alone for information about the game. Cloud Chamber needs to break its silence on BioShock 4 soon, even if that announcement is something small, like a title reveal, a cinematic trailer, or even just a statement discussing the current progress of the game's development. At this point, any news at all would be appreciated.
But at the same time, Cloud Chamber shouldn't feel like they need to rush BioShock 4's development. Creating a sequel to some of the most beloved games of all time is no easy task, especially for a brand-new studio, even if it is made up of ex-Firaxis and Irrational Games veterans. According to the most recent BioShock 4 leaks, Cloud Chamber is aiming for a 2024 release date, though it isn't prepared to put a concrete date on the game until it's certain it'll be high-quality enough. At the end of the day, this is absolutely the right way to go. Cloud Chamber should take its time with BioShock 4 and make sure that it lives up to the series' lofty legacy, even though it would certainly be nice to have some new info.
BioShock 4 is in development.