BioShock holds a special place in many players' hearts, and is often one of the most well-regarded games of its time. Many aspects make it stand out, from its unique setting and art deco design to unforgettable enemies such as its iconic Big Daddy. But one of BioShock's best mechanic was its plasmids and vigors, a staple that features across all three games in the series.
As is the case with many games, much of BioShock's original vision was cut down to either save time or fit the game's overall design, with some ideas later being reworked. Between cut content like Rapture Zoo or "Slug Bug Big Daddy" enemy type, BioShock underwent plenty of changes. Plasmids were no exception, as various types of plasmids either never made it through development or were reworked and reused in later games.
Speed Booster
Though it was cut early into BioShock's development, the general idea behind this plasmid found its way into the Aero Dash plasmid in BioShock 2's multiplayer. For BioShock, this plasmid would have simply granted the player a temporary speed boost for up to six seconds, with an additional second granted per-slot bonus. Under Rapture's capitalistic ethos, it was advertised as a means for people to get work done quickly, and a poster for Speed Booster can be found outside Gardner Delux Modern in the Southern Mall of Fort Frolic.
Telekinesis 2
Another plasmid that found its way into the sequel, Telekinesis was planned to have an upgraded form for BioShock. Why it was cut from the first game hasn't been confirmed, but a possible reason could be that Telekinesis was only intended as a utilitarian type of plasmid without combat utility, and this only changed following BioShock's reception. Telekinesis was planned to join BioShock Infinite's vigors, and would have allowed players to steal enemy weapons or repel bullets, so Telekinesis could be featured in BioShock 4 too.
Sanctuary
Similarly to Speed Booster, Sanctuary was cut in early development, and like Telekinesis it would have served a useful function in protecting the player. According to developers, Sanctuary would have created a protective bubble around players that absorbs all damage, intended to be used while hacking. Early versions of the game made players vulnerable to attacks while hacking, but the hacking method changed to its pipe system that effectively "paused" the game. This rendered Sanctuary's purpose moot, though the idea behind it is reflected in Natural Camouflage.
Aggressor Irritant
Similar to Enrage and Security Bullseye, Aggressor Irritant was a plasmid intended to be used directly against enemies. Its effect would have seen the player target one particular enemy, essentially marking them and causing all other enemies to attack that target. This plasmid was actually seen in early gameplay footage showcased by BioShock developer Ken Levine, but was removed from the final version. Without an official explanation, the reason behind its exclusion could be that it was too similar to the other plasmids mentioned.
Parasitic Healing
Another plasmid cut later into development was Parasitic Healing, which fired an energy bolt at enemies that would restore the player's health. Alongside other plasmids in Rapture, it was planned to be upgradable with three stages, and this plasmid would have been used by other Spider Splicers across levels like Point Prometheus and the Proving Grounds. It's possible that Parasitic Healing could have caused challenges for balancing BioShock's combat.
Teleportation
Perhaps the most novel plasmid cut from BioShock was Teleportation, which allowed the player to teleport back to a designated location, letting them escape from challenging encounters or strategize during fights. However, the nature of the plasmid also meant players could skip scripted events, and caused a number of glitches when used. While the player never uses this plasmid, other enemies apparently do, such as Houdini Splicers and main antagonist Frank Fontaine.
This was addressed in BioShock 2, where in-game lore confirms the plasmid was never released to the public as given was too unstable. A hidden detail in BioShock 2 showcases this, as the player can find the Teleportation plasmid in the Marketing Department at Fontaine Futuristics, but it keeps teleporting away. The player can repeatedly find it and attempt to pick it up until a special event is triggered. Big Sisters similarly demonstrate the ability to teleport, though this is suggested to be because of the blood they ingested as Little Sisters.
With BioShock 4 in the works under a new developer, fans are hoping that plasmids make a return. While they may have seen various iterations across all games, these have always remained a staple to the series, and BioShock would arguably not be BioShock without them. Whether BioShock 4 reuses any of its previous plasmids, cut or otherwise, or if Cloud Chamber Studios wants to start fresh will remain to be seen. Still, plasmids should feature in BioShock 4 and any future BioShock projects.