Katarzyna Petru
BioShock 4, one of the most anticipated games in recent years, is facing serious problems. Just before Gamescom ONL 2025, reports surfaced about layoffs at the Cloud Chamber studio – now we have official confirmation. A total of 80 out of 250 people lost their jobs, which is nearly one third of the entire team. According to internal sources, the original plan was for a release at the end of 2026 or early 2027, but restructuring has forced the debut date to be pushed to the second half of 2027, and possibly even later.
2K Confirms: Gameplay Quality is a Priority
The president of 2K, David Ismailer, admitted that cuts are necessary for the studio to focus on the key elements of the game. – We want BioShock 4 to meet fans' expectations and not be a compromise – he emphasized. It's a difficult decision, but according to the company, it will help the team concentrate on what is most important.
Cloud Chamber and Difficult Beginnings
It is undeniable that Cloud Chamber's problem from the beginning was trying to reconcile two enormous challenges: creating a new studio from scratch while simultaneously developing an AAA game. The history of the industry shows that many companies have failed in such a combination, and the BioShock 4 project is no exception.
Successes of Previous Installments in the Series
The BioShock series is the foundation of modern games and one of the most important examples of how to combine narrative with gameplay. BioShock from 2007 captivated with the atmosphere of the underwater Rapture and the philosophical depth of its story. BioShock 2 expanded on this vision, while BioShock Infinite transported players to the flying Columbia, winning over 80 “Game of the Year” awards. These successes have set the expectations for the fourth installment extremely high – players want a title that will once again go down in gaming history.
Fans will have to be patient...
Despite the problems, Take-Two does not intend to abandon the project. BioShock 4 is still in development, and Fergusson and his team are tasked with creating a game worthy of the legend. Unfortunately, we will have to wait much longer for the premiere than initially expected.
