BioShock Studio Cloud Chamber Lays Off Staff, Names Rod Fergusson Head

2K Games is reducing its workforce at the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber by an unspecified number, as part of a move to "rework" core elements of the highly anticipated next game in the franchise.

In a related leadership change, former Gears of War boss and Diablo franchise lead Rod Fergusson is taking the helm of both the BioShock series and Cloud Chamber at 2K. His departure from Blizzard earlier this month was sudden, with no initial explanation for his exit or details on a successor.

These developments were revealed in an internal email from 2K president David Ismailer, a copy of which was obtained by IGN. The email states, in part:

Work on the next BioShock game has been underway for several years. While we’re excited about the foundational gameplay elements of the project, we’ve made the decision with studio leadership to rework certain aspects that are core to a BioShock game, and in doing so are reducing the size of the development team to focus on this work and give the game more time in development.

Affected employees are being notified today. 2K has not disclosed the total number of positions impacted.

"I recognize that today is a day of mixed emotions," the email concludes. "We’re excited to have Rod joining us, and are equally grateful to everyone at Cloud Chamber who has helped us get this far. These changes are rooted in 2K’s firm confidence in BioShock as one of the most beloved franchises, and our commitment to deliver the best game in franchise history."

First reported in 2018, BioShock 4 has seen very few updates since. Development at Cloud Chamber has been confirmed for years, though original BioShock creator Ken Levine is not involved. Public details remain scarce, with only confirmation of a brand new setting and an open-world design. A recent Bloomberg report suggested the project faced an internal critique over its narrative direction, prompting this development overhaul. When questioned last week, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick affirmed the game is definitely "going to come out" but offered no timeline or specifics on the required changes.