BioShock 4, currently being developed by Cloud Chamber and published by 2K, is facing major internal issues after executives at parent company Take-Two gave it a failing grade in a recent high-level review.
This led to a leadership shake-up as studio head Kelley Gilmore was removed from her position, and creative director Hogarth de la Plante was reassigned to a different role within the company.
NEW: The next BioShock recently failed a publisher review, leading to a leadership shakeup and a narrative overhaul as employees worry that layoffs may follow, sources tell Bloomberg. BioShock 4, announced in 2019, has been in development for more than a decade. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) August 1, 2025 at 2:52 PM
The biggest concern was the game’s story, which leadership felt didn’t meet the high standards of the BioShock series. A full rewrite is now planned.
These problems come after nearly a decade of rocky development. The project originally began in 2015 with a different studio, Certain Affinity, before moving to Cloud Chamber in 2017. With so many years behind it, insiders believe the game’s budget has ballooned significantly.
The game has reportedly gone through multiple reboots, seen high employee turnover, and faced issues with leadership and staff experience.
After buyouts and several retirements, many current team members reportedly lack the experience needed for a franchise of this size and legacy.
Additionally, various external challenges have made things even more difficult, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which reportedly severely disrupted workflow, and Quebec’s Bill 96, which created complications at the Montreal office by enforcing strict French language rules.
Still, BioShock 4 isn't being scrapped. In fact, recent job listings at Cloud Chamber's San Francisco and Montreal offices suggest the studio is ramping up production again. While it's clear the road to release is still long, there’s renewed effort to get development back on track.
In a press statement, responding to Bloomberg's report, 2K Games stated, "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."