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Layoffs Hit ‘BioShock' Development Team Amid Delays; Rod Fergusson Named New Head of 2K Studio Cloud Chamber

Cloud Chamber, the 2K Games-owned studio behind 'BioShock 4,' is undergoing a round of layoffs amid delays for the upcoming game and a shakeup in leadership. 2K, a subsidiary of video game publishing giant Take-Two Interactive, has tapped Rod Fergusson as the new leader for the developer and its 'BioShock' franchise, Variety has confirmed. Most recently, Fergusson was general manager of the 'Diablo' franchise at Microsoft's Blizzard, where he launched 'Diablo IV.' More from Variety NBA, Take-Two Form New Media Company to 'Celebrate' Basketball, Extend Long-Standing Games Pact 2K Motion Capture Studio Workers File for Unionization 'Bioshock' Film Adaptation Still in the Works With Scaled Down Budget; It's a 'More Personal' Movie, Says Producer Roy Lee Fergusson takes over the studio following the ousting of Kelley Gilmore, which as Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported earlier this month, came amid internal complaints regarding the narrative direction of the upcoming 'BioShock' game. As Gilmore was removed from the top posiiton at Cloud Chamber, 2K also moved the game's creative director, Hogarth de la Plante, into a publishing role. In an internal memo, which was provided to Variety by 2K on Tuesday, 2K Games president David Ismailer announced the pending layoffs to staffers: 'Work on the next BioShock game has been underway for several years. While we're excited about the foundational gameplay elements of the project, we've made the decision with studio leadership to rework certain aspects that are core to a BioShock game, and in doing so are reducing the size of the development team to focus on this work and give the game more time in development.' Representatives for 2K declined to comment on how many roles are being impacted in the layoffs. 'As Head of the BioShock Franchise, Rod will lead Cloud Chamber and oversee the development of the next BioShock game, as well as franchise extensions including our film partnership with Netflix,' Ismailer wrote. 'We will share more about Rod's onboarding and how these changes will take shape in the coming days and weeks. Rod and I worked together 10+ years ago and I am grateful he has chosen to return to lead our BioShock efforts.' The third and most recent 'BioShock' game, 'BioShock Infinite,' was released in 2013 and made by developer Irrational Games. 'BioShock 4' has been in the works at 2K's Cloud Chamber for more than a decade. Read the memo to staff from Ismailer in full below. Team – BioShock is woven deeply into the fabric of 2K. It's one of our most beloved franchises and respecting its legacy and meeting our fans' expectations is critical to its future success. Work on the next BioShock game has been underway for several years. While we're excited about the foundational gameplay elements of the project, we've made the decision with studio leadership to rework certain aspects that are core to a BioShock game, and in doing so are reducing the size of the development team to focus on this work and give the game more time in development. I know this is tough news for everyone. If your role is being affected, you'll hear from your manager or studio leadership today with details on severance, career services and support resources. There is no easy way to do this, but we hope to do whatever we can to support you through this. I want to thank each of you for your dedication and hard work. I also want to share an important studio leadership update. After an extensive search, I'm excited to announce Rod Fergusson will be leading Cloud Chamber as the new Head of the BioShock Franchise. Rod is an industry veteran with a proven history of critical and commercial success, including BioShock Infinite, Gears of War, and Diablo. Rod rejoins us from Blizzard, where he was GM of the Diablo franchise and launched Diablo IV – Blizzard's fastest-selling game ever. As Head of the BioShock Franchise, Rod will lead Cloud Chamber and oversee the development of the next BioShock game, as well as franchise extensions including our film partnership with Netflix. We will share more about Rod's onboarding and how these changes will take shape in the coming days and weeks. Rod and I worked together 10+ years ago and I am grateful he has chosen to return to lead our BioShock efforts. I recognize that today is a day of mixed emotions. We're excited to have Rod joining us, and are equally grateful to everyone at Cloud Chamber who has helped us get this far. These changes are rooted in 2K's firm confidence in BioShock as one of the most beloved franchises, and our commitment to deliver the best game in franchise history. David Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025