Ex-Gears of War and Diablo Leader Joins 2K to Become Head of BioShock Franchise

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I, Rod Fergusson – who was previously at the helm of the “Gears of War” and “Diablo” franchises – have recently joined Cloud Chamber under 2K to oversee the “BioShock” series. This move comes shortly after my departure from Blizzard Entertainment, where I played a crucial role in guiding the “Diablo” franchise through the launch of “Diablo 4” and its subsequent seasons. Before joining Blizzard, I had a rich history with the “Gears of War” franchise, working on it both at Epic Games and later, The Coalition. Now, I’m excited to start this new chapter in my career with “BioShock”.

As a die-hard fan of BioShock for over a decade now, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the next installment in this thought-provoking first-person shooter series. Originally hailed as the premier jewel of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era, a lot has changed since the release of BioShock Infinite back in 2013. The franchise’s original developer, Irrational Games, has been reduced to Ghost Story Games, while the reins were later handed over to a brand-new studio, Cloud Chamber, established in 2019 and helmed by former Firaxis Games producer Kelley Gilmore. However, following years of quiet from Cloud Chamber, rumors are swirling about significant changes within the studio, including Gilmore’s departure, which might have caused some substantial delays in the development of BioShock 4.

Rod Fergusson Has Joined 2K to Lead the BioShock Franchise

Following the unfortunate announcement about BioShock 4, it appears that Cloud Chamber has a new figurehead. Rod Fergusson recently shared on Twitter that he’s joined 2K and will now lead Cloud Chamber as the “Head of BioShock.” Unfortunately, this change also means that some staff members at Cloud Chamber have been let go as part of the studio’s restructuring.

Similar to his work on Diablo, it seems that Fergusson won’t be directly involved in game development but will instead oversee everything associated with the BioShock franchise, such as “franchise extensions” like the BioShock Netflix movie, as suggested in his tweet.

Rod Ferguson, well-known for his work on the BioShock series, joined Irrational Games in 2012 to guide the final stages of development for BioShock Infinite, a project that was reportedly facing challenges. His brief tenure at Irrational ensured BioShock Infinite’s successful completion, earning him the nickname “The Closer,” someone who rescues troubled projects and steers them towards release. Given this background, speculations suggest that BioShock 4 could be nearing its conclusion, with Rod Ferguson stepping in now. However, if the project was progressing smoothly enough for a release, the significant restructuring and layoffs at Cloud Chamber might not have occurred.

Despite feeling disheartened about further job cuts in the industry, there’s a sense of anticipation stirring up as an experienced figure like Rod Fergusson takes charge over the BioShock series. For enthusiasts of BioShock, it’s worth keeping tabs on Judas, a quirky first-person shooter from the originator of BioShock, Ken Levine, currently being developed at Ghost Story Games. Judas made its gameplay debut in early 2024, but since then, there has been no news about it. Fingers crossed that both Judas and BioShock 4 are now on the right path to success.

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2025-08-19 20:57