Game news Bioshock: from light to shadows, a look back at the sinking of this essential video game franchise
It’s been 11 years since Bioshock Infinite was released and the franchise has still not made a comeback. Learn everything there is to know about the sinking of this renowned license in this JV Legends.
Bioshock, the first of its name, is a reference in the world of video games. Released in 2007 on PC and Xbox 360, the title stands out for its narration, its moral choices and above all its original universe (an abandoned metropolis under the surface of the ocean). Praised by critics, praised by the public, the studio in charge of the project had to make a sequel. And that’s after Bioshock 2 published in 2008 that our topic of the day appeared.
The third opus of the saga, Bioshock Infinite, was released in March 2013. In less than 4 months, it sold more than 4 million copies and will even exceed the 11 million sales mark in 2015. It obtains an almost -perfect on all video game sites and marks the entire community thanks to its assertive visual aesthetic and its gripping plot. But now, despite its undeniable success, the Bioshock franchise has now been silent for almost 11 years. The development of BioShock Infinite was very complicated and, we can say, ruined the future of the license. Discover this fascinating story in our JV Legends.
Conflicts of interest
The development of the suites of Bioshock was parasitized by numerous conflicts of interest. The first being between Irrational Games, the company which literally created the first opus, and 2K Games, the American giant which bought the franchise shortly before the release of Bioshock. Many fights broke out between these two companies, which you can discover in our JV Legends. The second conflict of interest resided within Irrational Games itself, and it is a certain Ken Levine who is at the center of the problem. For what ? Well, because even though he’s a genius director, he’s not very easy to get along with. If you want to know more about him, don’t hesitate to check out our JV Legends.
Opposing objectives
2K Games and Irrational Games definitely did not have the same desires for the future of the franchise. Which results in a Bioshock 2 which, although well made, is a rehash of the first opus without a real desire to take the license further. So when 4 months after its release, the sequel is announced, you suspect that nothing can go well. To find out all the ins and outs of this case, watch our JV Legends.