BioShock may be in the worst place it could be right now.
Previously, On BioShock 4
2K Games announced a new studio named Cloud Chamber would be making the 4th BioShock game in 2019. The past six years since have been filled with speculation and rumors about delays, studio struggles, and issues behind the scenes. However, 2K Games and Cloud Chamber had not been talking about the game this whole time. This helped fuel the speculation in itself.
The Latest Bad Rumor
Jason Schreier reported that the latest build of BioShock 4 failed its latest review by 2K Games very recently. As a result, they removed Kelley Gilmore, who was heading Cloud Chamber. They also moved Hogarth de la Plante, Cloud Chamber’s creative director, to a publishing position.
The Rumor Is Confirmed
2K Games officially confirmed these changes in Cloud Chamber and gave this statement:
We are working hard to set BioShock up for the best possible future. 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.
Other Bad Things Could Or Could Not Be Happening Too
Schreier has other rumors that haven’t been corroborated by 2K Games or Cloud Chamber for now. Of course, now these have to be taken seriously too.
Schreier says some at Cloud Chamber fear layoffs. 2K Games told the studio they need to be more agile and efficient, but there’s not actual word that management confirmed or even considered layoffs right now.
On why the game failed review, Schreier’s sources say the narrative in particular needs improvement. This will be the studio’s focus for the following months.
How Bad Could It Be?
Take-Two Interactive has been riding high for over a decade because of Grand Theft Auto Online. The overwhelming success of Rockstar Games’ first live service project allowed 2K Games to look the other way and let both the next BioShock game and Ken Levine’s next original game, Judas, to ‘cook’, as the kids say.
The current unfavorable market conditions have changed that. The video game industry is facing its first real serious challenge in decades, to the point that Rockstar can’t afford to let their money burn idly on these games.
We may never know how good or bad Cloud Chamber’s ideas for BioShock 4 were for the last six years. But we know that even in 2019, Rockstar was complacent in letting the IP lay dormant for that long. There’s an older fandom who would still want to play this game, but like Duke Nukem, they won’t be waiting forever.
