There are many speculations about a Bioshock sequel/prequel, where its going to be developed and if Ken Levine is still involved.

Currently, the following studios are possible:

  • 2K Boston (known as Irrational Games before - Bioshock 360 location)
  • 2K Australia (known as Irrational Games before - Bioshock PC location)
  • 2K Marin (formed by yet unknown Bioshock team members, residing in Novato, California)

While rumours say that Ken Levine may be busy with "Project X" (expected X-Com sequel), the dark waters of the internet believe that 2K Marin will deal with a new Bioshock game. But what kind of hints do we get out of 2K's job listings?


Let's start with 2K Boston:

  • The new Producer at 2K Boston will collaborate with and manage the time, focus, and priorities of Creative Director, Ken Levine during all aspects of the development cycle and must be experienced with large scale software development projects (40+ development staff over 2+ years).
  • 2K Boston needs a Senior Console Programmer, who is experienced with the PS3 (apart from Xbox, Xbox360 and PlayStation2). 
  • A Lead Enviroment Artist should be experienced with animated environment effects (such as particles). Experiences with Unreal Engine 3 are also desired.
  • A 3D Character Animator will be working with motion capture data, facial animation. He will be working with humans, animals, "others" and will develop new features for animation system in the Vengeance Engine. 
  • The Special Effects Artist will deal with flowing, splashing, and stagnant water, magical and ethereal effects. Like other members of the art team, he will develop new features for particle systems in the Unreal 3 Engine.
  • The Senior Game Designer should be familiar with the current state of the art in game design across a wide range of genres on both PC and console.

Conclusion: It really smells like "Get your next Bioshock here" at 2K Boston. Major hints are the particle effects, flowing, splashing and stagnant water effects, new team members have to deal with. If it is just a PS3 port, you don't need people for complete new effects.

Animals and "others" need to be animated. This could be a consequence of Bioshock critics, that the game lacked in more varied, more terrifying enemies than splicers. A unterwater utopia without any animals? No! As far as we know the team originally imagined a fight with a huge squid - maybe we will see this in the next Bioshock game.

I am unsure if there will be a Bioshock (1) port for PS3, but the console seems to be counted in for the next Bioshock game, since Playstation 3 experience is desired, apart from other consoles (360) and PC. Current-gen games are very expensive and going muliplattform makes sense. There is no exlusivity deal for new Bioshock games with Microsoft and the install base of the PS3 is growing.

What sounds a bit striking is the fact that the Vengeance Engine is mentioned, as well as Ken Levine. The Vengeance Engine is known as a enchanced Unreal Engine 2/2.5, which was originally used as the "Bioshock engine". Later on, Irrational Games switched to Unreal Engine 3.0, so you might argue if a Vengeance Engine can be a varied UE3. The new producer will work together with Ken Levine closely, so they maybe both work together at the same location. The new producer might support Ken Levine's secret project, which was already in development during Bioshock 1 or they both care for a new, second (Bioshock?) game. Since experience with longer developments (2+ years) is desired, we might expect a new IP instead of a game, which might use already known mechanics/engines/models. Think of GRAW 2 and Rainbow Six Vegas 2, which were released a year after their predecessors.

So the job listings are for one project or for several ones. At least the Special Effects Artist position sounds like a new Bioshock game. So let's have a look at the next studio.

2K Australia:

  • 2K Australia is currently searching for an Senior MP Designer with 5 years + game design experience.
  • They are also searching for a Level Builder, which must fit into the exactly the same requirements as a Level Builder, who can apply for 2K Boston right now. Both need to have experience with creating first-person levels using Unreal, Quake, Half-Life or similar technologies for commercial titles. 

Conclusion:  While both job listing do not contain a clear hint on a Bioshock game, there is some room for speculation. Remember that it was 2K Australia, which was mainly responsible for the PC version of Bioshock. Work for new multi-platform Bioshock game could be distributed to several development studios, too. Like 2K Boston, 2K Australia is working on a first person game, so there might be two games of the same genre or exactly the same title.

A MP Designer cares for multiplayer aspects of a game. A multiplayer in Bioshock was missed by many gamers and Ken Levine admitted that he would like to have one. This job position could then be a hint that Bioshock 2 will indeed contain a multiplayer mode.

2K Marin:

  • The new studios searches for a Pogrammer. Highly desired are experiences with developing for next-generation game consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii), with the Unreal Engine and multi-platform software projects.
  • The new Audio Director will conceive audio-scapes for our games including first-person shooters and tactical role-playing games.
  • The Game Designer's qualifications need to contain work-experience with recent generation game console technology (Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 or PLAYSTATION 3) and PLAYSTATION 3. Experience with Unreal Engine 3 is also preferred.
  • The new Graphics Programmer will develop, maintain, and extend the graphics engine on multiple console platforms. Highly desired are one or more already shipped PC or console game titles, FPS or RPG titles, as well as experiences with the Unreal Engine 3 and multi-platform software projects.
  • 2K Marin is searching for a Lead Animator, who will collaborate with the Art Director and Creative Director in creation of the overall artistic vision of a next-gen console game. He must be able  to develop plans and appropriate direction for outsourced production. Fine Arts skills and Unreal experience are a plus.
  • The next Level Builder at 2K Marin will function as part of a three-person team tasked with building large levels for a next-gen console title: Level Builder, Level Modeler, and Level Designer. Background in architecture or lighting is a plus, as well as Unreal Engine experiences. 
  • The new Producer must have experiences with managing external development projects and will facilitate communication and cooperation within the project team and between internal and external teams.
     

Conclusion: Someone is forging a whole new team for a fresh game. The title will be a next generation console game, but it will very likely be multi-platform. It sounds like a mixture between FPS and RPG and will make use of the Unreal 3 engine. Interestingly, the PC platform is hardly mentioned, but the Lead Animator and the Producer must be capable of working with external teams. This could mean that another studio or location will be involved. If this game is our new Bioshock game, it could fit to my assumption of 2K Australia making a PC version, collaborating with 2K Marin.

The bottom line: 2K Boston is not doing Ken Levine's other project only and I doubt that his game deals with lots of water, too. That is why I believe that the next Bioshock game will be done at several locations. Ken Levine is somehow still involved but not as much as with Bioshock 1. Some people in Boston will do work for the next Bioshock game (maybe using some assets of Bioshock 1, doing conceptional work). The rest of the technical development will be done in the 2K Marin studio for consoles (360/PS3), while the PC version will be done at 2K Australia. The game will possibly feature the long awaited multiplayer and a wider range of enemies like underwater animals.

Sources:

Job listings at 2K Boston
Job listings at 2K Australia
Job listings at 2K Marin