Take-Two Interactive is revamping parts of the new BioShock and reorganizing management after senior executives expressed dissatisfaction with development, according to Bloomberg sources.
The new BioShock, developed by Cloud Chamber, was recently rejected in a review by 2K Games executives, the publishing subsidiary of Take-Two. The game’s narrative was identified as an area requiring significant improvements and will be overhauled in the coming months.
2K Games subsequently dismissed studio head Kelley Gilmore and moved creative director Hogarth de la Plante to a publishing role. In a recent all-hands meeting, Cloud Chamber staff were informed the company needs to become more agile and efficient—raising concerns about possible layoffs.
A spokesperson confirmed the leadership changes and added that the company is “fully committed to ensuring we deliver a BioShock game that exceeds our fans’ lofty expectations.”
BioShock is one of gaming’s most successful franchises, with over 43 million copies sold across three games. But 2K Games hasn’t released a new series entry since 2013’s BioShock Infinite. The fourth BioShock has been in development for over a decade and passed through multiple studios.
In 2019, Take-Two announced the new BioShock was in development at Cloud Chamber, which has offices in Novato, California, and Montreal, but the company has remained quiet about the project since.
2K Games was also developing a remake of the original BioShock, but it was shelved earlier this year, according to people familiar with the plans.
