The BioShock franchise is known for its interconnected nature, which reached an all-time high in BioShock Infinite. With BioShock 4 in development at Cloud Chamber, and little news to indicate an impending reveal, many fans are wondering how the game will connect to the rest of the series. BioShock is known for doing some unexpected things while remaining familiar to longtime fans, and expectations are high for the long-awaited sequel. For BioShock 4 to bridge the gap between previous games, it may need to bring back one key character.
When BioShock Infinite released 10 years ago, it introduced players to a character who has stuck with many over a decade later. Elizabeth, the player's companion throughout much of Infinite, was an integral aspect of the story due to her reality-bending powers and connection to protagonist Booker DeWitt. In the years since Infinite's release, Elizabeth has become one of the most memorable characters in the BioShock franchise, if not video games in general, so Cloud Chamber could bring her back for BioShock 4 to help it become a culmination of the franchise's long history.
What BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth Can Bring to BioShock 4
BioShock 4 still doesn't have a release date, but it will be the first BioShock game in at least a decade. While remasters of the series have allowed players to discover or rediscover BioShock with little difficulty, the worlds of Rapture and Columbia have been out of the public eye for a long time. BioShock 4 will likely enjoy some success based on its name alone, but it could benefit from having a more immediate connection to the rest of the franchise. Elizabeth can serve as that link to the franchise in terms of both narrative and marketability.
Next-to nothing is known about the story of BioShock 4, but including Elizabeth could open up exciting opportunities to leverage Infinite's multiverse. One of the core elements of Infinite's gameplay and narrative was Elizabeth's ability to open Tears, which are essentially portals to an alternate dimension. Infinite ended with multiple Elizabeths from alternate dimensions drowning Booker DeWitt, but BioShock 4 could see players follow Elizabeth throughout space and time as she continues to develop her powers and contend with how she fits into the world.
BioShock has cemented itself as one of the most formative and iconic franchises in video game history, but BioShock 4 likely won't be able to succeed on name alone. The video game industry has changed dramatically since the last BioShock released, and other franchises have risen to prominence in its absence. If the next game includes Elizabeth, longtime fans would have something familiar to latch onto, and newcomers would have a reason to explore previous entries so that they can get an understanding of who Elizabeth is.
BioShock fans have been looking forward to news about BioShock 4 for a long time, and hopes are high that 2023 will finally be the year Cloud Chamber reveals something substantial. Now that E3 2023 is canceled, the stage for BioShock 4's full reveal will likely be a smaller online showcase. Whatever the case may be, it could do BioShock 4 a lot of good if its reveal trailer shows some connection with BioShock Infinite by including Elizabeth. Fans will just have to remain patient until Cloud Chamber is ready to show what it has been working on.
BioShock 4 is currently in development.