BioShock 4 has reportedly undergone a significant change in leadership, following internal reviews which made senior executives ‘unhappy.’ The news arrives courtesy of Bloomberg‘s Jason Schreier, who spoke to multiple sources at the company.
Per these sources, despite BioShock 4 being in development for several years now, it remains in an unsatisfactory condition, with its narrative reportedly being identified as an area ‘in need of improvement.’ The game has reportedly failed an internal review by executives recently, leading to a need for a significant overhaul.
Bloomberg reported Cloud Chamber studio head Kelley Gilmore has been removed from her role as part of these changes, and former creative director Hogarth de la Plante has been moved to a publishing role. The website further reported that all staff at Cloud Chamber had been told they needed to become ‘more agile and efficient,’ with some fearing layoffs are impending.
In a statement provided to Bloomberg, a spokesperson for 2K Games has confirmed the leadership changes have taken place, as a method to help set up the next BioShock for future success.
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‘We are working hard to set BioShock up for the best possible future,’ the spokesperson said. ‘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 … [The company is] fully committed to ensuring we deliver a BioShock game that exceeds the lofty expectations of our fans.’
What’s happening with BioShock 4?
As noted, BioShock 4 has now been in development for more than a decade, with multiple studios contributing work to the project. In 2019, the game was officially confirmed to be in development, although very little has been revealed since, leaving doubt about its progress and direction.
Bloomberg‘s latest report does very little to clear the air, instead seemingly confirming what many suspected: that BioShock 4 may just be the latest game to become dredged in development hell.
It’s also worth noting Bloomberg has identified an additional BioShock project facing this fate. Per Schreier’s sources, 2K Games was, at once point, developing a BioShock remake. That was reportedly shelved earlier in 2025, for reasons that are not detailed.
At this stage, the future of BioShock 4, and the wider franchise, remains unclear. While 2K has committed to delivering a ‘great’ game in future, fans will have to stay patient to see what results. After a long decade in development, it does appear BioShock 4 is making some progress, but with studio leadership reportedly unhappy, it may be some time before we see more of this project.
Also on ScreenHub: ACMI’s Game Worlds will feature The Elder Scrolls Online, FFXIV, and more
The Elder Scrolls Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Minecraft, SimCity, and Stardew Valley have been announced to feature in ACMI’s upcoming Game Worlds exhibition in Melbourne, Australia, alongside a host of other significant and historical games. All titles will be on show with behind-the-scenes looks at development, and the creation of their unique game worlds.
Joining these blockbuster titles are: Terra Nil (Free Lives), Guardian Maia (Metia Interactive), Celeste (Maddy Makes Games), The Sentinel (Geoff Crammond/Firebird), DOOM 1993 (id Software), Team Fortress (Valve), Maze War (Greg Thompson and Dave Lebling), Colossal Cave Adventure (William Crowther), and Zork (Infocom).
A number of Australian developers have now also been announced for the show, including Sbug Games, which will show off Isopod. 2pt Interactive (Heavenly Bodies) will show off new playable prototypes for in-development projects.
