Making a new entry in one of gaming's most prestigious franchises sounds simple enough—after all, as the saying goes, "there's always a lighthouse." However, the reality has proven much more difficult. Following the critical success of BioShock (2007), BioShock 2 (2010), and BioShock Infinite (2013), fans have been left waiting for over a decade.

While there were reports in 2018 that Hangar 13 was working on a new title, those efforts ultimately fizzled out, leaving the future of the franchise in limbo.

Strauss Zelnick is "Deeply Disappointed" by BioShock Delays

In a recent interview with Stephen Totilo's Game File, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the long silence regarding a new BioShock game. While he claimed he isn't strictly "surprised" by the lack of progress, his feelings toward the current timeline are far from positive.

"Think about what ‘surprise’ implies," Zelnick remarked. "That’s like, one enough day, everything’s awesome, and the next day, I’m like, ‘Holy shit.’ And I don’t run the business that way. But I think if you’re saying ‘disappointed,’ yes. Deeply disappointed."

According to Zelnick, the primary hurdle has been "finding the right creative purchase"—essentially finding a concept strong enough to anchor a full-scale sequel. He admitted that the development process has faced significant setbacks:

  • The team struggled to find a viable core concept.
  • Significant resources were lost pursuing "dead ends."
  • Time and money were wasted on unworkable creative directions.

A New Era for Cloud Chamber?

Despite the frustration, Zelnick noted that he is "feeling a lot better" about the current state of the project. Much of this optimism may stem from recent leadership changes at Cloud Chamber, the studio tasked with reviving the series.

Rod Fergusson, the former Diablo boss, left Blizzard in August 2025 to lead Cloud Chamber. His appointment is seen as a strategic move, much like the "closer" role he played during the development of BioShock Infinite.

However, this transition hasn't been without its growing pains. The project underwent a significant reset when 2K Games president announced a decision to rework core aspects of the game. This period of restructuring also included difficult layoffs; reports from Bloomberg indicated that over 80 employees—roughly one-third of the studio's headcount—were let go less than a year ago.

While the leadership change brings hope, fans should prepare for more patience. Even with Zelnick's improved outlook, it remains to be seen how much longer we must wait before the next BioShock game finally emerges from the fog.