Cloud Chamber, a new team led by formerBioShockdevelopers, is seemingly hard at work on an open-worldBioShock 4. Based on recent job listings, it’s expected that this next entry will be moving toward a non-linear structure that branches out from Rapture’s undersea corridors and the towering platforms ofBioShock Infinite’s Columbia.BioShock 4has been heavily anticipated for a number of years, and this rumored open-world gameplay is possibly its most striking change since the series' inception.
Truth be told, it’s somewhat surprising that BioShock’s return has taken so long to materialize, even if high expectations are increasing its pressure to deliver. WithBioShock, 2K has a revolutionary, dystopian IP that can handle a variety of highly detailed environments. That potential might lead some to believeBioShock 4’s open-world design may resemble FromSoftware’sElden Ring, but given the IP’s immersive sim roots, Arkane Studios' latest works could be a better reference point for first-person exploration.
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Similarities Between Arkane’s Immersive Sims and BioShock
Arkane Studios is considered by many as one of the enduring creators of reactive, simulated worlds. Its 2017 sci-fi releasePreyis often compared to the firstBioShock, especially in its fusion of alt-history worldbuilding, survival horror elements, and supernatural powers that phase extra strategy into gunplay. Both games are strongly associated with the immersive sim genre, having been influenced by interactive shooters such asSystem ShockandHalf-Life. As Cloud Chamber aims to capture the magic of those classic titles, there’s a possibility ofBioShock 4returning to itsSystem Shockroots, which means thatPrey’s Talos I space station might be a good inspiration for a wider, interconnected setting.
TheBioShockfranchise is no stranger to experimentation, but there is also room for further growth. FromSoft famously translated its tighterSoulslike formula toElden Ring, an open-world RPG that rewarded gamers who investigated every corner of the map. Cloud Chamber has its own ambitions designingBioShock 4as a similarly scaled-up successor, however, it probably needs more direction to service effective storytelling. Following Arkane’s example, Talos I was practically seamless, normally restricting areas by difficulty and character abilities. So, likePrey,BioShock 4could allow players to freely roam as long as they have the means to face the challenges ahead.
The Possible Open-World Design of BioShock 4
On Talos I, each deck is connected like a puzzle box of pathways that gradually unfold, introducing new tools and challenges over time. G.U.T.S., the microgravity maintenance tunnels that link decks together, feels real on repeat visits, all because Arkane designed a world around cause and effect. While players forge their path, both the station and the story transform - actions are reflected in how aliens spawn, security systems react, and objectives are described. UnlikeElden Ring’s predetermined enemy encounters, choice plays an important role throughoutPrey’s simulated narrative, and those dynamic yet carefully controlled spaces could reasonablyfit intoBioShock 4’s open world.
BioShockis steeped in retrofuturistic themes, weird science, and dramatic philosophical conflicts. Whatever fictional society Cloud Chamber has planned, fans can speculate that it will probably follow the franchise’s M.O. - extreme ideas ending in disaster. Theoretically, an open world embroiled in warring factions would be a powerful premise forBioShock 4, as it might support the kinds of hostile environments that make immersive sims, as well as Arkane games, so special. Scope may set Cloud Chamber’s vision apart from previous entries in the series, and it’s likely to turn headsshouldBioShock 4appear at E3 2023.
BioShock 4is in development.
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