The Case For and Against BioShock 4 Being a Soft Reboot

Summary

BioShock 4 is rumored to take place in the Antarctic city Borealis, signaling a departure from iconic locations of Rapture and Columbia.
BioShock 4 may have to continue the lore established in BioShock and BioShock Infinite, as the games are linked in a metaphysical way.
On the other hand, sticking closely to known BioShock lore could make the new game feel overly familiar and uncreative.

Very little is known about BioShock 4, including its official title. Though rumors, leaks, and analyses have proved fertile ground for speculation, it's difficult to say whether the game will continue the story of Rapture or Columbia, or if it will be something of a refresh for the series, taking it in a bold new direction that is only tangentially or spiritually linked to the original trilogy.

Leaks and rumors have pointed to the setting of BioShock 4 being an isolated Antarctic city called Borealis. This detail alone, if true, would indicate that the game is taking a significant step away from the previous entries in the series, as it wouldn't be revisiting either of BioShock's most iconic locations. Additionally, a job listing from developer Cloud Chamber suggests that BioShock 4 will be open-world, which would also mark a stark change in series tradition. At the same time, the complex lore established by the original trilogy may be hard to ignore, so BioShock 4 could very well be a more direct sequel to BioShock or BioShock Infinite. Whether this would be good or bad is up for debate.

BioShock 4's Silence Is a Double-Edged Sword

Cloud Chamber has remained silent on the development of BioShock 4, but it could be a blessing in disguise for Ken Levine's upcoming title Judas.

Posts

By Josh Cotts

BioShock 4 Being a Soft Reboot: Pros and Cons

BioShock 4 Could Serve As a Bold New Step for the Series

As a revival of a beloved franchise created by a different studio, there's a risk of BioShock 4 living in the shadow of the original three games. Whether it's fair or not, BioShock 4 will inevitably be compared to the titles that preceded it, and playing things too safe could ultimately work to its detriment. Thus, when it comes to both narrative and the fundamentals of its game design, it may be best for BioShock 4 to tap the reset button.

An open-world and dramatically different setting may be a good place for BioShock 4 to start, and the game could differentiate itself even further by making key changes to gameplay pillars like exploration, combat, and RPG elements. This would go beyond BioShock 4 simply adding more options to the existing gameplay skeleton of the franchise; the game could be an inventive and revolutionary entry for the series, viewed the same way that 2018's God of War soft reboot is.

A Continuation of the BioShock Narrative Might Be Hard to Avoid

The lore of BioShock, while not universally beloved, is a core part of the franchise. BioShock Infinite found success without relying on Rapture, Big Daddies, or Little Sisters (although these narrative elements make a return in the DLC), but it adds a new layer of complexity. Specifically, the ending of BioShock Infinite introduces the concept of multiple realities that can be accessed through various means, yet always have a few key constants. Infinite directly ties back to the first two BioShock games through this parallel reality premise, suggesting that all BioShock stories are linked in some metaphysical way. This twist ending has a transformative, overarching effect on the greater BioShock canon, and while BioShock 4 could just ignore this, it might come across as somewhat jarring for anyone who has played Infinite. Thus, the next game may have to continue the broad-strokes storyline that Infinite left behind.

If BioShock 4 is supposed to be part of the same fictional universe as Infinite, even if they are only loosely linked, then a lot of questions about parallel realities, such as which reality the game takes place in, will need to be addressed. Whether it's a soft reboot or a direct continuation, BioShock 4 is going to need to carve its own path, especially if Cloud Chamber wants to avoid unfavorable comparisons to Judas, which many view as a spiritual successor to the BioShock franchise.