Despite the sequel’s existence being a prevalent rumor for many years now, the announcement that a fourth game in the BioShock franchise was in active development was one of the biggest surprises of last year. It goes without saying that fans were incredibly excited that a new adventure in the morbid science-fiction franchise was on its way, but the immediate question was where the series could possibly go next? Luckily for fans, some newly discovered information might begin to hint more about the setting of the fourth game and it seems the title will try to recapture what made each of the previous iterations so special.
Coming from a job listing courtesy of Cloud Chamber, the studio behind the newest BioShock, it appears the developers are looking for a Lead World Designer to head a team dedicated to making a story-heavy setting for the upcoming sequel. The application states, “The Lead World Designer will lead a team in bringing a rich and dynamic game world to life”, following on by claiming the candidate will “contribute to the design and structure of the world” while also populating it with “memorable experiences that complement the game’s main story.”
So far, it seems like the newest BioShock will be looking to, once again, deliver a narratively rich setting that communicates story through its haunting locales rather than dialogue-heavy cutscenes. As if fans need any more convincing that narrative will indeed be the main focus of the experience, the studio goes on to state that the applicant should “love sitting at the nexus of story, architecture and design”, and “love games that create a symbiosis between them.”
They finish out the application by highlighting that applicants should “care about building a richly interactive world that feels inhabited and genuine”, while also having “a deep understanding of how to create a compelling systemic environment that players are hungry to explore." If these bold claims truly summarize the title that Cloud Chamber is looking to develop with its BioShock sequel, then it appears fans will have a lot to look forward to when the game eventually releases. After all, the franchise has always been a testament to the strength of story-rich environments in video games and a sequel would do well to put a major focus on that going forward.
For those unacquainted with Cloud Chamber’s involvement with the BioShock franchise, the studio was assembled by 2K with the focus of creating the next game in the iconic franchise. While it doesn’t have the franchise's esteemed former director, Ken Levine, at the helm, it does have a number of franchise veterans on board to make sure it’s an authentic experience worthy of the series’ legacy.
A fourth BioShock game is in development at Cloud Games and will be released at an unspecified date.
Source: Cloud Chamber