Everything we know about BioShock 4

12 years have passed since the release of BioShock: Infinite, meaning BioShock 4 gets closer every day. From the setting of the next entry, the development hell it has been through, to leaked details of an open-world twist, here’s everything we know about the future of the franchise.

From the gloomy depths of Rapture to the astonishing heights of Columbia, BioShock has taken players far and wide throughout its three mainline titles. What started in 2007 as a standalone release came to an end in 2014 with the final episode of Burial at Sea. Ever since, the franchise has remained dormant.

While original creator Ken Levine has been toiling away on a spiritual successor of sorts in Judas, 2K Games still plans to continue the BioShock series without him. After years of development hell and reported internal reboots, the next BioShock was officially made real in 2019. However, the public announcement doesn’t seem to have stopped further troubles from compounding internally.

While official details remain scarce on the next entry in the BioShock franchise, here’s a rundown of everything we know thus far.

Is there a BioShock 4 release date yet?

There is no release date for the next BioShock game just yet. Despite confirming its existence in a 2019 announcement, BioShock 4 is seemingly still in the midst of active development after a series of reboots.

No exact timeline was provided along with the reveal six years ago. Instead, 2K Games outlined that the project “will be in development for the next several years.”

Given it’s a brand new studio taking the reins, it’s obviously taken a bit longer than it would for an existing team. 

As of 2025, internal reviews of the project have reportedly not met expectations and thus, changes have followed. More than 80 employees, amounting to roughly a third of the studio’s size, were reportedly laid off in August, 2025, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. This comes on the back of the announcement Rod Fergusson had joined the team.

Fergusson has a reputation in the industry for being a ‘closer,’ someone who joins projects near the end and helps them get the game to market. He previously did just that with BioShock Infinite.

Earlier reports from 2023 claimed the title was rebooted a fourth time, meaning it was all still a ways off. From the overall vision to the turnover rate at the studio, it’s been troubled from the jump.

Now with Fergusson onboard, however, it’s clear 2K is looking to finally kick things into gear. As such, we could see BioShock 4 in 2027 or 2028, depending on how far along development already is.

BioShock 4 platforms

Since the next BioShock is still a few years out, it’s unclear exactly what platforms it may launch on. Obviously, the bulk of development would have intended for a PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC launch. However, with the setbacks, there’s no quite telling how it may pan out.

With next-gen consoles looming, with a plausible 2026-2027 release, there’s every chance the next BioShock arrives on the PS6 and whatever we call the next Xbox.

Not to mention, there’s no telling whether devs will target a port on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well.

BioShock Isolation & open-world leaks

Years ago, as Cloud Chamber looked to bolster its development team, the studio had been hiring for all manner of roles. While little is known about the game itself, a number of these early job listings revealed some major details. 

A Senior Writer was previously in hot demand as the team was looking to “weave impactful, character-driven stories in an open-world setting.”

Not only that, but an AI Programmer’s role required the development of a new “urban crowd system.” Additionally, mission content had been listed as “primary and secondary,” further hinting at the notion of a broader game.

Additional leaks teased the name ‘BioShock Isolation’ as a possibility. While there’s no verifying these claims just yet, and plans could always change, not only did the source provide a potential logo, but also further details that align with previous leaks.

Bioshock Isolation may be set in “a new-to-franchise isolated dystopian city,” according to the leaks.

In fact, this dystopia could even be split in two, according to an alleged slide from a Bioshock pitch.

“There might be two cities with a radically different ideology,” leaks claimed. “One of them located underground right below the other, both sharing a ‘flipside’ border zone with an unleashed ‘vertical war.’

It’s obviously worth taking this information with a grain of salt for now.

When and where is BioShock 4 set?

The BioShock series stood out in large part due to its idyllic man-made locations. Where might the next daring leader carve out their utopia? We’ll just have to wait and see what 2K has in mind.

But according to a report by VGC and their sources: “BioShock 4 will take place during the 1960s in a fictional Antarctic city. Narratively, the game will be tied to the previous BioShock games.

“We want you to help us breathe life into a new and fantastical world,” one such listing read. While it doesn’t help us pinpoint the next title, we know for definite that earlier locations are off-limits.

We’ve been sky-high and deep underwater, so what does that leave for the next entry? If BioShock 4 is to follow its roots, a brand new community could take over and establish its borders just about anywhere on Earth. After all, wherever there’s a lighthouse, there’s always going to be a city.

Perhaps it’s even time for the series to take us into a futuristic city out in space. We’re sure to have an exact date and location locked in well before release, so we’ll keep you updated.