BioShock 4 will take place in ‘a new and fantastical world’, job listing suggests

BioShock 4 will take place in a completely new setting, a job listing at development studio Cloud Chamber suggests.

While the first two games in the series took place in the underwater city of Rapture and the third in the floating city of Columbia, the next instalment looks set to feature a new world.

A job listing for a lead environment modeller at Cloud Chamber reads: “We want you to set the example, leading efforts to help us breathe life into a new and fantastical world.

“Together, we will set the stage for a stunning narrative and systems-driven experience.”

The successful applicant will be required to “create visually appealing, 3D models of natural and architectural elements based on concept art and/or photo reference while extracting the best / brightest details and exaggerating those to a point of caricature.”

The studio is recruiting across multiple disciplines. One available role is principal combat designer, who will be tasked with developing “an FPS combat paradigm that is accessible, satisfying, and allows for a high degree of player expression and experimentation within a highly reactive world”.

They’ll also be expected to “look beyond direct conflict, accommodate various play-styles and design encounters that can be resolved through player ingenuity”.

Elsewhere it’s confirmed that the studio is working with Unreal Engine 4.

Publisher 2K announced in December 2019 that work had begun on a new entry in the BioShock franchise and that it would be in development “for the next several years”.

Scott Sinclair, the art director of the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite, is working on the new game.

According to Cloud Chamber’s global studio head, Kelley Gilmore, the game’s development team also includes veterans of other franchises including Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and Battlefield.

“As part of our recruiting efforts, we’re looking for people from many different backgrounds and experiences,” she said last year. “I’m confident that the depth and variety of game development experience at Cloud Chamber will lead to another unforgettable BioShock experience.”

BioShock’s original director, Ken Levine, will not be involved in the new project.

BioShock: The Collection released for Switch in May 2020.

Further Reading

Former creative director hopes BioShock 4 takes an original approach

Jordan Thomas says he’d like new game to surprise players