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Irrational's New Game Is BioShock Infinite

The next game from Ken Levine trades the sea for a floating city in the sky.

At a 2K press event in New York City, Irrational Games revealed its long-in-development followup to 2007's BioShock: BioShock Infinite. Helmed by series creator Ken Levine, BioShock Infinite looks to take the basic concepts of the franchise and transfer them into a new setting, outside the world of Rapture
 
 

 
 
In fact, according to the trailer and synopsis of the game on the main site, BioShock Infinite couldn't be farther from the underwater city of Rapture. BioShock Infinite takes place in 1912, on top the floating city of Columbia, a steampunk-looking sky city complete with blimps and floating balloons. Players will take the role of Booker DeWitt, a disgraced Pinkerton agent (a turn-of-the-century detective and protection agency) sent up to Columbia to rescue a girl named Elizabeth from the floating city.
 

No Caption Provided
 
== TEASER ==DeWitt will team up with Elizabeth over the course of the game, working together and augmenting each other's abilities in order to escape the city before it crashes into the ground (there's that Icarus connection from the teaser site). DeWitt will have to take down foes in the city of Columbia and in the clouds in "Sky-Line battles" in order to get Elizabeth out safely.
 
BioShock Infinte doesn't look to be a complete departure from the BioShock fiction, as the trailer features a monster that looks suspiciously like a Big Daddy battling DeWitt and preventing him from rescuing Elizabeth. 
 
Here's what Ken Levine himself has to say about Infinite, via the game's announcement press releease:

"But when it came to begin work on BioShock Infinite," said Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games, "we only had one rule: No sacred cows. This game is both true to what people love about the series and unafraid to question every assumption."

Levine continued, "In order to explore the floating city of Columbia, we needed an entirely new engine. To bring Elizabeth to life, we had to build brand-new animation and AI systems. To create wide-ranging indoor and outdoor firefights at 30,000 feet, we had to rethink, rebuild and expand the BioShock arsenal. The only thing gamers can be certain of is this: the rules of the BioShock universe are about to change."  
 
2K is planning the game as a 2012 release on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Irrational has also stated that the full presentation from the unveiling will be made available in the near future, so look for a stream of new information on BioShock Infinite soon.

535 Comments

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mattbodega

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Edited By mattbodega

At a 2K press event in New York City, Irrational Games revealed its long-in-development followup to 2007's BioShock: BioShock Infinite. Helmed by series creator Ken Levine, BioShock Infinite looks to take the basic concepts of the franchise and transfer them into a new setting, outside the world of Rapture
 
 

 
 
In fact, according to the trailer and synopsis of the game on the main site, BioShock Infinite couldn't be farther from the underwater city of Rapture. BioShock Infinite takes place in 1912, on top the floating city of Columbia, a steampunk-looking sky city complete with blimps and floating balloons. Players will take the role of Booker DeWitt, a disgraced Pinkerton agent (a turn-of-the-century detective and protection agency) sent up to Columbia to rescue a girl named Elizabeth from the floating city.
 

No Caption Provided
 
== TEASER ==DeWitt will team up with Elizabeth over the course of the game, working together and augmenting each other's abilities in order to escape the city before it crashes into the ground (there's that Icarus connection from the teaser site). DeWitt will have to take down foes in the city of Columbia and in the clouds in "Sky-Line battles" in order to get Elizabeth out safely.
 
BioShock Infinte doesn't look to be a complete departure from the BioShock fiction, as the trailer features a monster that looks suspiciously like a Big Daddy battling DeWitt and preventing him from rescuing Elizabeth. 
 
Here's what Ken Levine himself has to say about Infinite, via the game's announcement press releease:

"But when it came to begin work on BioShock Infinite," said Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games, "we only had one rule: No sacred cows. This game is both true to what people love about the series and unafraid to question every assumption."

Levine continued, "In order to explore the floating city of Columbia, we needed an entirely new engine. To bring Elizabeth to life, we had to build brand-new animation and AI systems. To create wide-ranging indoor and outdoor firefights at 30,000 feet, we had to rethink, rebuild and expand the BioShock arsenal. The only thing gamers can be certain of is this: the rules of the BioShock universe are about to change."  
 
2K is planning the game as a 2012 release on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Irrational has also stated that the full presentation from the unveiling will be made available in the near future, so look for a stream of new information on BioShock Infinite soon.

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CoolDrMoney

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Edited By CoolDrMoney

soooo stoked

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BlackMantis

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Edited By BlackMantis

Cool    

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skyline7284

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Edited By skyline7284

Looks amazing... damn 2012 though

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TadThuggish

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Edited By TadThuggish

Holy shit are you kidding me?
 
Jeff and Ryan JUST made a joke about this on their ustream last night.

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Kiro

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Edited By Kiro

They shouldn't call this Bioshock at all, other then that I'm looking forward to it

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webby

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Edited By webby

Awesome

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Toxin066

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Edited By Toxin066

If I was the dude in the trailer, I'd have peed myself about 10 times. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this game.

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The_Dude

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Edited By The_Dude

Needs a new name.

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Mechanical_Ape

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Edited By Mechanical_Ape

Looks interesting. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

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donutfever

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Edited By donutfever

I heard a lot of press people saying they wanted this, or BioShock in Space in BioShock 2 coverage.

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DrBeardface

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Edited By DrBeardface

Not sure about the 'Infinite' tag, but looks amazing.  Can not wait to see what's up there.

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miketorreza

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Edited By miketorreza

Bioshock but instead of an underwater city it's now a city floating in the sky? Ugh.

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Wraxend

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Edited By Wraxend

Wow Bioshock 3... so no new IP :(

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Paladizm

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Edited By Paladizm
@TadThuggish said:
" Holy shit are you kidding me?  Jeff and Ryan JUST made a joke about this on their ustream last night. "
Haha I heard that as well... foreshadowing... 
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Babble

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Edited By Babble

Haha, this is what I wanted, but I wasn't expecting it to actually happen!

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shadows_kill

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Edited By shadows_kill

i think they should just name it a new ip...

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Atlas

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Edited By Atlas

Ok, this is kinda ridiculous. If they knew Ken Levine was working on a new BioShock game, why the hell would they let 2K Marin make a game called BioShock 2? And if Ken Levine knew that 2K Marin were making a game called BioShock 2, why the hell would the name of their new game have anything to do with the name BioShock? With the sequel, BioShock established a solid concept of what the franchise would be, rather than just a one off label for a general style of game. Why make a game that was almost exactly like the original, call it BioShock 2, and then release this new game as a BioShock spin-off developed by the people who made the fucking original game? AAAH BRAIN EXPLOSION!
 
That said, it's Irrational Games and Ken Levine making this game and that means it will be fucking awesome. So stoked. Shame about the long wait.

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Mystyr_E

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Edited By Mystyr_E

why are people saying this isn't Bioshock or they should just make it a new IP? I actually welcome a change in location and having the whole "city under the sea" thing every game would just get stale

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babblinmule

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Edited By babblinmule

Any bioshock is good bioshock in my books.

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rosebud04

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Edited By rosebud04

Oh But the world is ending in 2012. I will never get to play it. Damn!

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spartan1017

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Edited By spartan1017

worst. title. ever?

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scarace360

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Edited By scarace360

BIOSHOCK GOT BODIED CAUSE IT WENT TO STARBASE!

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TotalEklypse

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Edited By TotalEklypse

i dunno about this. i want to love it but it is just too early

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Hamz

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Edited By Hamz

Definitely interested in hearing, reading and seeing much more on this.
 
But I do wonder more how it's connected to BioShock than anything else.

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crushed

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Edited By crushed

NUHHH MORE LIKE BIOSHOCK 1.5 NUHHHH

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Crono11

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Edited By Crono11

I'll need to see more before I get excited but it's looking okay so far.

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pbhawks45

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Edited By pbhawks45

I love me some Ken Levine. HOLY SHIT YES.

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MisterMouse

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Edited By MisterMouse

yo dude, that isnt water surrounding them. oh and co-op confirmed?!?!?!

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Blueman

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Edited By Blueman

I can't wait for this game. I wish they'd put off unveiling it for six months or so though, two years is a hell of a long time to wait.

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GetBentTheVideoGame

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Everything about this looks incredible.

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radioactivez0r

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Edited By radioactivez0r

" Players will take the roll of Booker DeWitt "
 
Last time I took the roll of someone, he made me give him my muffin in exchange.

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MisterMouse

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Edited By MisterMouse
@Toxin066 said:
" If I was the dude in the trailer, I'd have peed myself about 10 times. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this game. "
This.
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sammo21

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Edited By sammo21

System Shock was space, Bioshock was underwater...why not a new 'shock' for this aerial adventure?  Do they think the general gamer doesn't understand the history, outside of Bioshock?

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thevamp25

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Edited By thevamp25

damn..i wanted a new IP...oh well

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pyroisgod

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Edited By pyroisgod
@Livebythesword said:
" @TadThuggish said:
" Holy shit are you kidding me?  Jeff and Ryan JUST made a joke about this on their ustream last night. "
Haha I heard that as well... foreshadowing...  "
That's fucking hilarious. I heard this too. But as to the actual game... meh. We'll have to wait and see how it'll be.
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RaceKickfist

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Edited By RaceKickfist
@Kiro: i agree. it feels like such a departure from the previous games that it should warrant its own unique name. but perhaps they're just trying to establish their franchise as something that is far more versatile than just "those water games with the drill people."
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ADAMWD

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Edited By ADAMWD

I wonder why Levine stressed so much that this was an original IP? If he wanted this to be viewed as something new and original, they should have left off the BioShock tag. With it, the game will always be connected to the series and some will probably just view this game as Irrational Games trying to replicate the masterpiece they had in the first BioShock. 
 
The game still looks very promising and interesting though. Two years is a long time to change the name as well.

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thatfrood

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Edited By thatfrood

What is with idealists and building cities in impractical places?

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CreativeColossi

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Edited By CreativeColossi

I like Airameroshock. 

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mattbodega

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Edited By mattbodega
@radioactivez0r:  Yep! This is a pastry-based game.
Also, thanks.
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cap123

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Edited By cap123

So where does the bio part of bioshock come in? seems strange to keep the name, i know it makes sense from a marketing point of view but -anything-shock may have still had the same effect. You know, like system shock is also the same game. 
 
CLOUD SHOCK

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Tesla

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Edited By Tesla

I was hoping for a new System Shock, but this works.  

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ProfessorEss

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Edited By ProfessorEss

This is what Bioshock 2 should've been in the first place - different time, different place, different story.
 
I still plan on playing Bioshock 2 at some point, but the fact that they didn't do this with it is why I still haven't gotten around to it.

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ThePiePieper

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Edited By ThePiePieper

/head explodededeeddedededded!!!!

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Arne

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Edited By Arne

Lets just say that when my friend told me about this, I thought he was joking.

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Bones8677

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Edited By Bones8677

Looks like this will be their "Season of the Witch" game. And hey, it's the third one, too!

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Bionicicide

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Edited By Bionicicide

Interesting, hope no "Little Sisters" (never made sense to me) and players will just harvest their reward from "Big Daddies" directly (I assume the caged organ is valuable to upgrades and I assume that's inside a "Big Daddy" too). 

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Roger778

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Edited By Roger778

I'm surprised that Ken Levine is working on a new Bioshock game.  I thought it was going to be a brand new IP.   
 
But, anyway, I like that the game is going to have a new setting, and that it's going to be set in the sky.  Plus, you get to have a partner in the game, which seems cool to me.  Let's hope it will be as good as the original Bioshock.