BioShock 4 Dev Hell Continues As Leadership And Remake Are Canned

August 2, 2025

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While it’s been over a decade since we last saw an entry in the BioShock franchise, it seems whatever was cooking at developer Cloud Chamber, the executives at 2K Games didn’t like it.

BioShock 4 (for lack of a better name) underwent a publisher’s review, and it failed so badly that they aren’t only looking to overhaul parts of the game, but also its management.

This means that BioShock fans hoping to see the next entry in the series will need to wait even longer.

BioShock 4 Failed A Review By 2K Executives

The report comes from Bloomberg (paywalled), citing “people” who weren’t authorized to discuss private information and asked not to be named. According to sources, BioShock 4’s narrative was identified as an area that needs to be improved and will be revamped in the coming months.

Cloud Chamber also underwent management changes. 2K Games pushed aside studio head Kelley Gilmore and moved creative director Hogarth de la Plante to a publishing role. 2K has apparently told the studio’s staff that Cloud Chamber needs to be “more agile and efficient,” which has translated to employees worried that layoffs may follow suit.

When asked for a statement, 2K Games said, “We are working hard to set BioShock up for the best possible future. Right now, we have a good game, but we are committed to delivering a great one. We are working closely with leadership at the studio to define this path.”

Not only is BioShock 4 undergoing major changes, but the report also states that a remake of the first BioShock game was shelved earlier this year.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of good news to share when it comes to the franchise other than, at the very least, the project is still in development. However, with the leadership changes. planned narrative overhaul and whatnot, it’ll take time before the latest BioShock game surfaces.

The original BioShock was released in 2007 to critical acclaim and commercial success. It was soon followed by BioShock 2 in 2010, and then BioShock Infinite in 2013. Following that, the franchise has remained dormant, except for BioShock: The Collection, which was released in 2016.