At this point, the BioShock series is a touchstone of gaming for both mechanics and storytelling. Irrational Games' 2007 original, a spiritual successor to the previously groundbreaking immersive sim, System Shock, set a new standard for the medium at the time. Followed by two more releases between 2010 and 2013, the franchise was subsequently etched into the industry zeitgeist. BioShock 4 was announced in 2019 to be in development by a newer studio, Cloud Chamber, under 2K's umbrella. However, it has as yet to see the light of day, and there has been little firm information shared about its current status.