Last December,BioShock 4was finally confirmed to be in development, over 7 years sinceBioShock Infinitereleased back in 2013. The series is known for its strong world-building, ground-breaking narratives, and investment in philosophical questions that have explicitly tackled everything from Ayn Rand’s Objectivism to white supremacy.
The locations of theBioShockgames are some of their greatest attractions. The first two were set in Rapture, a failed Libertarian utopia at the bottom of the ocean.Infinitewas set in Columbia, a white nationalist city in the sky. There are some good reasons, however, thatBioShock 4should take players somewhere entirely new.
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Linked Worlds
WhenBioShock Infinitewas originally released, 2K did not reveal that it took place in the same universe as the first twoBioShockgames, and in one sense, the studio was not lying. It is revealed late intoBioShock Infinitethat the lighthouseBooker DeWittenters to ascend to Columbia, just as Jack enters a lighthouse to descend to Rapture, is just one in a multiverse of linked realities. Rapture and Columbia are, in some sense, the same city. Jack, Booker, Ryan, and Comstock are the same person to varying degree, and Elizabeth fromBioShock Infiniteeven returns to Rapture inInfinite’s DLC.
BioShock Infinitemade a point of linkingRapture and Columbiaas different versions of the same idea. Both set themselves up as utopias, both created cults of personality around central figures, both made clear delineations between those who were deemed worthy of that utopia and those who weren’t, and both cities ultimately cannibalized themselves in chaos and revolution despite their apparent ideological differences.
BioShock 4should try and complicate the series’ message even further, introducing players to a world that is at least initially hard to see as another parallel toBioShock’s Raptureor Columbia. It could even be interesting to some players if the game took the perspective of indoctrinating the players themselves, as opposed to the other two settings which made their dystopian elements quite clear from the get-go.
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The Philosophy of BioShock
One of the main points the first threeBioShockgames make is how little difference there are between the outcomes of extreme ideologies once they are reduced to cults of personality.BioShock 4should try and give an example that is radically different to the previous 2 settings to see how that aligns with and complicates the point made across the other games so far.
With Rapture and Columbia so clearly set up as a binary – one in the sky, one under the sea – it isn’t immediately clear where the 2K franchise could take players next. It may be important, however, that like withBioShock Infinitethe parallels are not immediately apparent for players to ultimately get the point the game is making by its conclusion. It will also be important that theBioShocksettings don’t merely become thematic backdrops for the continuation of the stories of characters players have already met, leaving the philosophical side of the games behind.
BioShock Infinitedid this by introducing the parallel universe element, such as withthe Lutece twins. This helped expand upon the point being made in the originalBioShockwhile still introducing a totally new concept with implications for the game’s story and its thesis.
With2K creating Cloud Chamberfor the development ofBioShock 4, many fans will be extremely excited for more details about the upcoming game to be revealed. Many will be hoping that the time taken betweenBioShock InfiniteandBioShock 4has been used to develop a strong and original central concept which will feel like a worthy successor the previousBioShockgames and their messages without simply retreading old ground. The direction the franchise is going, however, has yet to be revealed.
A newBioShockgame is in development but a release date and platforms have not been confirmed.
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