The original BioShock is considered a classic game, being an iconic release that launched a massively influential franchise which still commands a large community despite its recent lull in content. Although the IP's original 2007 release is still regarded as a fantastic experience, many of its mechanics and overall aesthetic have aged considerably in the nearly two decades since.
With this in mind, there is a clear opportunity for the original BioShock to receive a comprehensive remake, as enough time has passed to foster many peoples' strong desire to replay a title that has otherwise fallen victim to the passage of time. Contemporary examples of comparable titles also receiving successful remakes like Dead Space set a strong precedent for the idea. When looking at how this Dead Space remake was approached and received, BioShock could easily follow a similar framework.
EA Motive's Dead Space Remake
Originally being announced in 2021, the Dead Space remake gained traction among fans who felt nostalgia for the 2008 version of the game. Being spearheaded by Motive Studios and EA, the Dead Space remake was built using the Frostbite Engine, which provided a huge level of graphical fidelity when compared to the aging original.
On top of clear visual improvements within the Dead Space remake, the release smartly chose to implement several gameplay changes while maintaining the general framework and plot of the original game. The remake crucially gives more life to protagonist Isaac Clarke via voice lines for the previously silent character, while giving players more freedom in the way of exploration and weapon accessibility. Players lauded the Dead Space remake for its sensible blend between faithful recreations and a new experience, with the game already having a popular reputation to justify such a remake. With this in mind, it is clear to see how similar levels of success could be garnered by 2K Games via a BioShock remake.
The Potential For a BioShock Remake
The Dead Space remake acts as a perfect case study into how successful a potential BioShock remake could be. Both original games launched in similar timeframes, with BioShock releasing in 2007 and Dead Space in 2008. These also became the groundwork for two defining franchises in their respective genres, with both franchises receiving their most recent mainline releases in 2013 - BioShock Infinite and Dead Space 3. With a decade having passed since then, it is clear that a desire for content is more than present for both sets of fans.
The pre-requisite conditions of anticipation are almost identical between BioShock and Dead Space, with the success of the latter only compounding the potential of similar remakes. Like Dead Space, the original BioShock is known for its striking artistic visuals, which would only be heightened by a remake within a modern game engine.
Crucially, similar gameplay changes could also be implemented in a BioShock remake, such as giving more dialogue to the mostly silent protagonist. These changes could even see a different ending, with the original twist ending of BioShock having a lot more potential to expand upon. The overt similarities between Dead Space and the original BioShock makes 2K's title just as deserving of a dedicated remake, with such a title surely able to generate huge amounts of attention.
BioShock is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.