Cloud Chamber Lays Off 80, Delays BioShock 4 Release

Development of BioShock 4 has faced significant challenges, leading to layoffs affecting approximately 80 employees—about a third of the Cloud Chamber studio's staff—and a delay from the initially planned late 2026 or early 2027 release. The project, which started in 2014 and has undergone multiple leadership and studio changes, is now being reworked to better align with core BioShock elements, especially in narrative aspects that received critical internal reviews. Former Diablo franchise head Rod Fergusson has been appointed to lead Cloud Chamber and oversee the game's development, bringing experience from helping complete BioShock Infinite. 2K Games president David Ismailer emphasized that the layoffs and restructuring aim to streamline the development process and improve the game’s quality, while Fergusson expressed commitment to delivering a BioShock title that fans will love. The lengthy development and recent turmoil reflect high expectations for the franchise and the difficulties in evolving the game with new technologies like Unreal Engine 5. Additionally, franchise extensions such as an in-development Netflix movie will also be under Fergusson's oversight.