Officially confirmed in 2019, fans have been waiting patiently for more news of Cloud Chamber's next installment in the BioShock series. Following on from a critically acclaimed and much-beloved trilogy, BioShock 4 has a lot of expectations on its shoulders, and with almost ten years since the release of BioShock: Infinite, players are more than ready for the upcoming entry. Founded as a division of 2K, Cloud Chamber has taken on the daunting task of developing BioShock 4, and up until now, the studio has been fairly tight-lipped about the title. Cloud Chamber was clear that the as-yet-untitled BioShock 4 would be in development for several years, so fans shouldn't be expecting anything soon.
Still, players have been quick to speculate about the game, with several rumors emerging and gaining ground since the game was confirmed to be in development. Some rumors are far more outlandish than others, whereas a handful of them seem relatively plausible, but it's important to remember that they are all unconfirmed. While gamers will no doubt be excited by the possibility of certain rumored settings or the potential game engine being used, everything should be taken with a pinch of salt until Cloud Chamber officially confirms the details of BioShock 4.
Setting, Storyline, And More
Many of BioShock 4's key elements are still completely unknown, leaving fans to speculate about where or when the game might take place. According to a leak from VGC, the Antarctic has been floated as a potential location for BioShock 4, with the game featuring a fictional city called Borealis and a 1960s setting. This would coincide with BioShock and BioShock 2's timeline and could mean that players might make a return to Rapture. In addition to the Antarctic rumor, some players believe that Cloud Chamber could take BioShock 4 in a completely different direction and move the action to space, which would open up opportunities for some excellent cosmic horror elements.
A lot of rumors and speculation seem to be fixated on the setting and potential storyline for BioShock 4, which makes sense given the narrative significance of locations like Rapture in the previous games. Other leaks appeared to point towards BioShock 4 focusing on two cities, with one above and one below ground. If this proves to be true, then the upcoming game may be called BioShock Isolation. These dual locations would allow BioShock 4 to explore the disparities of wealth in a stratified society, which seems like an appropriately philosophical focus for the series.
Job listings at Cloud Chamber were also used as an indication that BioShock 4 would be using Unreal Engine 5, which has caused some excitement among fans. Players have now been able to see what Unreal Engine 5 is capable of thanks to Epic Games' recent State of Unreal showcase, and the possibilities really do seem endless. Other Cloud Chamber job listings were looking for someone "who can weave impactful, character-driven stories in an open-world setting," suggesting a whole new direction for the game compared to its predecessors. Rumors of potential PS5 exclusivity were greeted with less enthusiasm, but this seems like an unlikely move from Cloud Chamber, so Xbox owners shouldn't be too worried.
Hitting A Rough Patch
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The Nvidia GeForce Now leak may have included a BioShock 2022 title, but that seems increasingly implausible given the scarcity of details surrounding the game and the assurance from Cloud Chamber early in development that BioShock 4 was still a while away. While some games in the Nvidia leak have turned out to be real, this does not mean that all the titles included in the list are necessarily legit. Nvidia released a statement saying that the leaked list was only for "internal tracking and testing" and was not to be seen as an indication of confirmed games, even if it has been proven to contain a few titles that have since been confirmed like Kingdom Hearts 4.
According to some recent leaks, a 2022 release window seems even more unlikely. Apparently, BioShock 4's development may have hit a few snags, with 40 staff members who have either allegedly been laid off or who decided to leave voluntarily. This number might have included a few lead developers according to the sources at ComicBook.com, and the leak also detailed how 2K was "not satisfied" with the direction that the game was taking. If these rumors are true, BioShock 4's release may still be several years away.
BioShock 4 is currently in development.
Sources: VGC, ComicBook.com