Bioshock 4 is reportedly stuck in development hell with huge setbacks

According to a report from industry insider Jason Schreier, things are not going well for the next main Bioshock game. Following reports of a Bioshock 1 remake getting scrapped, now some parts of Bioshock 4’s development will have to be reset after internal review.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Bioshock is a dormant series considering how long it’s been since Infinite came out, but 2K has been cooking something up on and off for over a decade at this point.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, the latest development update doesn’t bode well. According to people working within the dev team, the game just failed a review from executives, and upper management has been moved around already.

Some people working on the title fear layoffs are imminent as changes get made to try and get Bioshock 4‘s development back on track.

Bioshock 4 is reportedly deep in development hell

While Bioshock 4 isn’t the confirmed title for this game, it is being made to be the next entry in the mainline series. More than 10 years after Infinite’s 2013 release, it’s still being worked on, with executives dissatisfied with the direction of the game.

According to a Bloomberg report, the game failed an interview review from 2K Games and is undergoing some massive changes.

“The game’s narrative was identified as an area that was particularly in need of improvement and will be revamped in the coming months,” the report reads. Considering how important narrative is to the other games in the series, this is a particularly important aspect of the game to nail.

“2K Games subsequently ousted studio head Kelley Gilmore and moved creative director Hogarth de la Plante to a publishing role. In a recent all-hands meeting, Cloud Chamber staff were told that the company needs to become more agile and efficient, leading to worries that layoffs may follow.”

Additionally, Schreier was able to get a statement from 2K. While vague, it does offer some additional context on the situation.

“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,” a 2K spokesperson claimed. They also confirmed the leadership changes within Cloud Chamber, the studio developing the title.