The BioShock series is among the greatest franchises in modern gaming. Revered for its immersive and engaging settings, the series has explored elaborate utopian societies deep under the sea and high above the clouds. BioShock 4 has been in development for quite some time. BioShock 4 developer Cloud Chamber Studios is made up of several BioShock veterans and hopes to take the series in a promising new direction. One way in which the developer could embolden the series' future is by taking its next entry into a brand-new frontier.
BioShock 4 has a lot of pressure on its shoulders. As the next entry in such a beloved series, fans have been anticipating its arrival for nearly a decade. 2013's BioShock Infinite explored the airborne city of Colombia and introduced a meta-narrative to the series. Shortly afterward, rumors surrounding its sequel started to circulate. Information on BioShock 4 has been scarce, with much of the details so far revolving around development updates and a forthcoming announcement. Despite no word on the game's characters, plot, or setting, there is one environment that the series has yet to explore. This means that it remains possible that BioShock 4 is headed to space.
Exploring Space is a Natural Next Step for the BioShock Series
For years, BioShock 4 has been rumored to introduce a space setting, with players and industry professionals both expressing interest in the series exploring cosmic horror. A space setting could be a natural next step for the BioShock series, seeing as past titles have been working their way up with each new release. BioShock and BioShock 2 explored the undersea society of Rapture. Years later, BioShock Infinite abandoned Rapture, prior to DLC, for the airborne city of Colombia, where players learned about the overarching multiverse of the BioShock series. Setting the next entry in space is therefore a natural progression beyond prior entries that still adheres to the series' narrative and overarching story continuity.
According to a job listing online, BioShock 4 will feature open-world gameplay, making its space setting an even better fit. Combining BioShock's alt-history with a cosmic open world could evolve the series' next entry and allow the series to catch up in a landscape where so many other titles have built upon its foundation. Of course, taking a series to space does not inherently modernize or improve the franchise. In BioShock's case, however, it actually fits the overarching narrative and world quite well, as the ideas it may introduce could benefit both the player experience and modern political critique of its storytelling.
BioShock 4 May Be Closer Than Expected
BioShock 4 has been in development since at least 2019, yet little is known about the title. Looking back at BioShock Infinite's development and release timeline, fans may have a reason to expect the title rather soon. Developed under the title "Project Icarus", BioShock Infinite was released five years after work on the title began. With the confirmation that BioShock 4 has been in development since at least 2019, the same timeline would set a tentative release date sometime towards the end of 2023 or early 2024.
Cloud Chamber Studios may be waiting for the perfect time to officially unveil BioShock 4, and once it does, the release date could be quite soon. There was once hope that BioShock 4 could be E3 2023's secret weapon, but now that E3 2023 is cancelled, it's up to Cloud Chamber to do the advertising legwork. It's highly unlikely that Cloud Chamber Studios would shadowdrop BioShock 4, but given how far into development the title presumably is, and the recent reveal of a similar title from series creator Ken Levine, Cloud Chamber may be planning a very special reveal. Until then, BioShock fans must remain hopeful that the next entry in the series will once again set the standard for gaming excellence.
BioShock 4 is in development.