BioShock 4 will take us back to a familiar time period, according to reports

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But a brand-new city

The Bioshock Collection
(Image credit: 2K Games)

New details on BioShock 4's setting have reportedly been leaked, claiming that the next title in the first-person shooter series will take place in a fictional Antarctic city during the 1960s. 

That's according to Colin Moriarty, who made the claims during a recent Sacred Symbols video (via VGC).  According to Moriarty, the next BioShock (codenamed 'Parkside') will take place in a 1960s Antarctic city called Borealis, with a narrative connecting it to previous games in the series. This claim seems to align with other publications' sources, including VGC and Eurogamer.

"I’ve been told that the development team has incredible latitude to get it right, Moriarty said in the video. "That seems and sounds right to me."

"Internally the game is very secret and apparently, totally locked up," Moriarty continued. "Apparently the inclination there is that they understand full well that this game will be compared to what [original BioShock creator] Ken Levine does. And by the way, [Take-Two] is also publishing Levine’s next game."

While a new BioShock has been confirmed to be in the works at developer Cloud Chamber, there has been little in the way of solid details about it – including what it will actually be called (we're going with BioShock 4 for now). 

Back in 2019, Publisher 2K announced a new BioShock was in production and would be "for the next several years". 

Analysis: could we see more soon?

BioShock infinite

(Image credit: 2K Games)

While these new BioShock details haven't been confirmed by Cloud Chamber or 2K Games, they're certainly exciting. 

BioShock 1 and 2 were both set in the 1960s, the underwater city created by the enigmatic Andrew Ryan, suggesting that the next BioShock game could have ties to the first two games in some way. It also means we could see a return to BioShock's iconic dystopian '60s aesthetic – but in a whole new (apparently open-world) location. 

A release date for this new BioShock hasn't been confirmed yet, but there are rumors we could see its release in 2022 alongside a remaster of the original. We're hoping that the new BioShock will officially be revealed during The Game Awards on December 9, which tends to showcase world premieres for the biggest upcoming games. 

Vic Hood
Freelance writer

An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.