2K Games
Every time I write about BioShock, I’m contractually obligated to tell the following story from my time in college.
It was my senior year at Rutgers University and I was living in an absolute SHITHOLE off-campus house with my fraternity buddies. The crib was so dilapidated that when my roommate’s mother once drove by, he claimed she began crying. Frankly, we didn’t blame her — we beat the living hell out of this house.
Tweeting this video from college because I need to embed it into an article. Please enjoy. pic.twitter.com/3JLuTWeJ0N
— Eric Italiano (@ericitaIiano) April 13, 2021
Luckily, though, while the place was an undoubted shithole, it was massive, meaning we all got our own rooms. So, there I was one random night, likely drinking a tallboy Rolling Rock — the local liquor store used to sell a 6-Pack of Rolling Rock tallboys for like $6. Simply an unbelievable deal, especially for broke college kids.
As I drank my ice-cold Rolling Rock, I was wrapping up the final level of BioShock: Infinite, the third, sky-based entry into the epic 2K Games franchise. If you’ve played BioShock: Infinite, then you know the ending is genuinely mind-blowing — some genuine Christopher Nolan time-bending, mind-fucking insanity.
My roommate, who I actually still live with to this day, was walking by when he caught a glimpse of my screen and decided to pop in. Not only had he never played BioShock: Infinite, but he’s not even much of a gamer. Regardless, though, he was enthralled. As was I. For about 30 minutes, we sat there in silence watching the ending of BioShock: Infinite as if it were the season finale of our favorite show. As soon as the credits roll, my roommate turned to me and said, “I don’t know what the hell that was but it was incredible.” I agreed.
So, what’s the point of this anecdote? The point is that the BioShock franchise absolutely SLAPS to such an extent that even those who’ve never played the game could find themselves drawn into its story, its world. The point is that a new BioShock game, the first since 2013’s Infinite, is in development, and that’s excellent news. And not only that but according to reports, the fourth entry in the franchise will be an open-world game.
Unlike the BioShock games of the past, the next chapter in the FPS game series will be an open-world game, featuring “character-driven stories” and both primary and secondary missions.
The studio working on the next BioShock game is called Cloud Chamber, and it’s currently hiring for several positions. These include an AI programmer, UI/UX designer, a tools programmer, senior world designer, a senior technical designer, and a senior writer. This last, based in the Montreal office, will be a position responsible for helping to create the narrative content for BioShock 4, and the ad says the studio is looking for someone “who can weave impactful, character-driven stories in an open world setting.”
The senior writer will also be “brainstorming primary and secondary mission content with the design” and helping in “the creation and execution of the core story including the writing of dialogue and other narrative elements as director.” The position reports directly to the project’s lead writer. via [PCGamesN]
Given that production on the new BioShock game is just barely beginning, it’ll be at least a few years until we actually get to play it. But trust me, knowing what this franchise has delivered so far, it’ll be worth the wait. BioShock is incredible. Just ask my roommate.
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