BioShock 4 developer Cloud Chamber is ramping up hiring. This turn of events serves as an encouraging update for fans who were concerned about the future of BioShock 4 in light of 2K's recent cost-cutting efforts.

The fourth entry in the long-running series of narrative-driven FPS-RPG hybrids was originally announced in December 2019. While little else has been shared about the project ever since, some vague BioShock 4 details were occasionally inferrable from Cloud Chamber's job openings.

BioShock 4 Production Appears To Be Ramping Up
No fewer than 31 such new listings have just appeared on the developer's official website, as first spotted by Wccftech. Cloud Chamber Senior Cinematic Designer Jeff Spoonhower highlighted the hiring spree on LinkedIn, inviting industry professionals to apply for the open positions for a chance to work on the fourth BioShock game, which he described as an "awesome project."


Publicly available LinkedIn data indicates that Cloud Chamber's current headcount is just over 200. That makes it about as big as Irrational Games was back when BioShock Infinite entered active production circa 2009. But given how AAA game development cycles are getting longer due to the ever-rising need for high-quality assets and hardware advancements, the Canadian-American studio will ostensibly need even more hands on deck in order to complete the project in a remotely comparable time frame. This recently started hiring spree appears to be a step in that direction.

Granted, BioShock Infinite spent some half a decade in development, and by all accounts, the wait for BioShock 4 will be even longer. That's in part because Cloud Chamber still hasn't showcased any materials from the game, indicating that the project is far from ready to hit the market. The contents of its newly shared job listings reinforce that perspective, as many of them advertise openings for senior positions, including two lead level designers and a senior writer. None of those roles would likely need filling if the game were anywhere close to going gold.

As things stand right now, BioShock fans eager to experience more of its gameplay formula will most likely get their first fix from Judas. The debut title from Ghost Story Games, a studio founded by BioShock creator Ken Levine, has long been touted as the spiritual successor to the iconic series. Take-Two Interactive recently confirmed that Judas is planned to launch during its current fiscal year, which ends in March 2025. As for BioShock 4, 2K's track record suggests that the much-anticipated project will have at least a year-long gap between its gameplay reveal and market release.

Posted: Jul 10, 2024 12:33 pm
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://gamerant.com/bioshock-4-development-update-2024-cloud-chamber/