Liz Albl, known for her work as the narrative lead for the upcoming BioShock game, has transitioned to a new role at CD Projekt Red, the acclaimed studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher series. This career move comes amid significant changes at the studio behind BioShock’s next installment.
The Shifting Landscape of BioShock Development
2K recently declared a shift in the development strategy for its long-awaited BioShock 4, a project that has been in progress since at least 2018. Albl became part of Cloud Chamber, the studio responsible for crafting the new BioShock narrative, back in 2022. However, her departure was confirmed via an update on LinkedIn, revealing she left in August. This period coincided with 2K’s dissatisfaction with the project’s advancement and the announcement of staff reductions.
The restructuring saw Kelley Gilmore, head of Cloud Chamber Games, removed, and creative director Hogarth de la Plante reassigned to a publishing position. With the narrative of BioShock 4 now set for an overhaul, Rod Fergusson, formerly of Gears of War and Diablo fame, has been appointed to oversee both Cloud Chamber and the BioShock franchise.
Albl’s Journey and BioShock’s Future
Before her tenure at Cloud Chamber, Liz Albl worked at Monolith Productions on a now-cancelled Wonder Woman game, and contributed to Ghost of Tsushima at PlayStation’s Sucker Punch, as well as the Far Cry and Watch Dogs franchises at Ubisoft. While details on the new BioShock remain scarce, snippets from job postings and leaks suggest a fresh setting and open-world components. As Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed, despite the uncertainties, BioShock 4 is a definite part of their future plans, though the release date remains a mystery.
Ken Levine and the Awaited Judas
The gaming world also waits eagerly for news on Ken Levine’s next venture, Judas, which bears a resemblance to BioShock. Although previously anticipated by March 2025, updates have been sparse.