With just three games,BioShockcemented itself as one of the most critically-acclaimed game franchises ever through its unique mix of unique worldbuilding, cinematic atmosphere, and mindbending plots. That’s why fans were excited last month when2K Games announced that a fourthBioShockgame is in development, reviving a series that has lain dormant for the last five years.
Unfortunately, other than the announcement of Cloud Chamber, the newly-formed studio in charge of developing the game, that was the full extent of what 2K had to say about the game. This has naturally left fans unable to do much more than wonderwhat’s in store for theBioShockfranchise. That also includes people who’ve worked on the series’ previous entries, and some of them have a few ideas for where Cloud Chamber should takeBioShock 4.
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Former 2K developer Jordan Thomas would know a thing or two about the series, given that he worked on all three games and was the creative director for theunderratedBioShock 2. Thomas was one of the key developers that was interviewed by journalist Samuel Horti for a retrospective for TechRadar on the series’ legacy and its impact on the gaming industry. The article only briefly touches uponBioShock 4, but on Twitter, Horti revealed an unused quote from Thomas where he touched upon his hopes for the game.
“I hope they cast off the chains of the past, that they feel as unbound as possible,” he said. “That is what I’d hope the series [is] known for: taking you to places you didn’t expect, thematically and physically.”
This hope cuts to the heart of one of the biggest dilemmas amongBioShockfans at the moment. Despite being a series that has made its name on taking players to truly one-of-a-kind settings, there is a debate among fans overwhetherBioShock 4should take place in a new location or not. Given how unique and memorableBioShock’s previous locales are, it’s understandable that many fans would rather return to either the underwater art deco metropolis of Rapture or flying colonial city of Columbia instead of explore someplace new.
Unfortunately, this is a dilemma that might not be addressed by 2K and Cloud Chamber anytime too soon. To reiterate, no one knows what the nextBioShockgame will be about or where it will take place, and 2K has stressed thatBioShock 4is still at least a few years away from launch. So it’s possible fans may have to wait a few years to find out if the new game will continue to push the series into even more fantastical unknowns or head back into familiar territory.
