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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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Kibblez

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Edited By Kibblez

500th

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FalcomAdol

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Edited By FalcomAdol

I was disappointed when I just heard the name, but once I get past the name, I'm really looking forward to this.

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gamefather101

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Edited By gamefather101

i'm loving the change of scenery, and having no doubt it'll be a good game. ^_^

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misfittoy

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Edited By misfittoy

While having no real interest in Bioshock 2, simply from the standpoint of I didn't want to play the whole game as a Big Daddy, this game intrigues me greatly.
I have no hesitation on putting this on my list of games to look for beyond 2010.  Which at this rate is a very long list.  2011 is looking might fine.  Crazy we already have something to look forward to in 2012.  Well, this and Final Fantasy XIII Versus and Duke Nukem Forever ;-)

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SIL77

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Edited By SIL77

Nice change of scenery!  

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Paddis

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Edited By Paddis

Looks really awesome!

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casktapper

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Edited By casktapper

I'm still skeptical.

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DeathMinion111

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Edited By DeathMinion111
I'm glad there will be a change in location.
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Tornac

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Edited By Tornac

Thank God Irrational's doing the game. Hopefully it matches the awesomeness of the original.

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ScoopsTherobot

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Edited By ScoopsTherobot

This game and this entire website look awesome

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maimran91

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Edited By maimran91

No more old boring underwater Rapture

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mithhunter55

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Edited By mithhunter55
@ADAMWD said:
" 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. "
People would have made the connection any ways just wait and see what the gameplay is like.
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Bullitus

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Edited By Bullitus

Looking awesome. The first Bioshock was my game of the year in 2007 and Bioshock 2 wasn't bad at all. So I'm really, really interested.

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Myrddon

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Edited By Myrddon

You can never get enough steampunk.

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Bouke

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Edited By Bouke

I didn't like the original Bioshock and i doubt i'll like this... i hope this is better though, i'll give it a chance
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Nomin

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Edited By Nomin

If you cannot jump over the railings and plummet to instant death in this game, it will be an epic failure like no other, just like there is no drowning in Bioshock.
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EightBitShik

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Edited By EightBitShik

I lost interest in Bio Shock 2 pretty quick but I should finish it one day. I wasn't excited about a new game but it being the air like this really has me interested again. If I would of read that I would of blown it off but that looks really neat.

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JoeH

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Edited By JoeH

this looks just.. shocking... 
 
heres whats gonna happen you, the main character, will attempt to rescue this elizabeth person, and along the way you will discover the secrets of adam and eve. Then at the end of the game you will change your name/reveal your name to be Andrew Ryan, thus acting as a poorly linked prequel to Bioshock.

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deactivated-589b97df1f8d4

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I can already tell you how this game is gonna go down. First, there is gonna be a machine similar to the big daddy, no longer in the sea and now in the sky, rescue damsel in distress, which comes to be a little bit more complicated, new gadgets that evolve from the first game. The villian is some mad genius like from the other bioshock games and some how it will lead to a sequal, that will improve on the first Bioshock Infinite. Plus they might put in some gameplay elements that they wanted to try in the first Bioshock games just werent too sure if it could work out.
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Teirdome

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Edited By Teirdome

If Bioshock was Levine's shot at capitalism, is this his shot at patriotism/conservatism?

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Perth68

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Edited By Perth68

Disapointed  and a bit bewildered that it's going to be another bioshock game, but the more I think and hear about it the more I'm excited about it. I really like the look and atmosphere of the game and it sounds like its gonna be very good.

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NoSuchSol

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Edited By NoSuchSol

It'll be interesting to see how some of the aspects will change with the different world dynamic. I enjoyed the gritty steampunk feel of the Bioshock games. Now we're taking a good look at a floating city concept that really isn't breached that much in video games. Perhaps because they haven't been able to until now?  
 
There are just way too many games coming out..... =)
 
-D

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JoEDigiTECH

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Edited By JoEDigiTECH

Looks amazing. A beautiful new world to explore. 

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Bionicicide

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Edited By Bionicicide

The world needs more steampunk.

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thomasonfa

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Edited By thomasonfa

This is an awesome trailer. I wonder does it have anything to do with the gameplay or is it just eye candy.

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greenie1985

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Edited By greenie1985

bioshock infinite isnt the greates name but the footage has me very interested. i look forward to seeing some gameplay in the future (the distant future).

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Synthballs

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Edited By Synthballs
@TadThuggish said:
" Holy shit are you kidding me?  Jeff and Ryan JUST made a joke about this on their ustream last night. "
Aeroshock? 
 
(It's probably been done but, I'm not sifting through 500+ comments heh) 
 
Meh, Bioshock 2 was pretty meh for me so, meh to this too. meh.
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pepper_2000

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Edited By pepper_2000

They managed to make me excited for a new Bioshock game. Not just hesitantly excited. Damn excited.

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kratier

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Edited By kratier

system shock underwater, now system shock in the clouds
 
next we just need one in space, oh wait..

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jOn0

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Edited By jOn0

Looks amazing, can't wait to see the finished product

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MundaneSoul

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Edited By MundaneSoul

This looks breathtaking. Bioshock 2 was a bit of a wash for me, but I'm definitely looking forward to this game.

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Dan64

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Edited By Dan64

Looks like we're going to fall a lot.

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lamegame621

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Edited By lamegame621
@Kiro said:
" They shouldn't call this Bioshock at all, other then that I'm looking forward to it "
My thoughts exactly.
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yukoasho

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Edited By yukoasho

So Ken's making the same game but in the sky?

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GottaBelieve

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Edited By GottaBelieve

Glad to see Irrational back at the helm of the BioShock franchise.