Editing BioShock

{{Short description|2007 video game}}
{{For|the series|BioShock (series){{!}}''BioShock'' (series)}}
{{Pp-move|small=yes}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox video game
| title = BioShock
| image = BioShock cover.jpg
| developer = {{Unbulleted list|[[2K Boston]]|[[2K Australia]]{{efn|Ported to PlayStation 3 by [[2K Boston]], [[2K Australia]], [[2K Marin]], and [[Digital Extremes]]; to Mac OS X by [[Feral Interactive]]; and to iOS by [[2K China]].}}}}
| publisher = [[2K (company)|2K]]
| director = [[Ken Levine (game developer)|Ken Levine]]
| designer = Paul Hellquist
| programmer = {{Unbulleted list|Rowan Wyborn|Christopher Kline}}
| artist = Scott Sinclair
| writer = Ken Levine
| composer = [[Garry Schyman]]
| series = ''[[BioShock (series)|BioShock]]''
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 2]]<ref name=engine>{{cite web |last=Grant |first=Christopher |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/bioshock-infinite-is-to-unreal-engine-3-as-bioshock-was-to-unrea/ |title=BioShock Infinite is to Unreal Engine 3 as BioShock was to Unreal Engine 2.5 |date=November 3, 2010 |access-date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=[[Joystiq]] |quote=Despite an aging engine under the hood, the artists at Irrational were able to make BioShock look more UE3 than UE2.5. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106052243/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/bioshock-infinite-is-to-unreal-engine-3-as-bioshock-was-to-unrea |archive-date=November 6, 2010  }}</ref>
| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|[[Microsoft Windows]]|[[Xbox 360]]|[[PlayStation 3]]|[[Mac OS X]]|[[iOS]]}}
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|August 21, 2007}}|'''Windows''', '''Xbox 360'''{{Video game release|NA|August 21, 2007<ref name="IGN1">{{cite web |url=http://au.games.ign.com/articles/812/812621p1.html |title=BioShock Demo Now Available on Xbox LIVE |access-date=October 15, 2007 |date=August 13, 2007 |work=[[IGN]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004601/http://au.games.ign.com/articles/812/812621p1.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011}}</ref>|PAL|August 24, 2007<ref>{{cite web|first=James |last=Kozanecki |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/au-shippin-out-august-20-24-bioshock-graw-2/1100-6176899/ |title=AU Shippin' Out August 20–24: BioShock, GRAW 2 |access-date=March 6, 2017 |date=November 11, 2007 |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306210356/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/au-shippin-out-august-20-24-bioshock-graw-2/1100-6176899/ |archive-date=March 6, 2017 }}</ref><ref name="IGN1"/>}}'''PlayStation 3'''{{Video game release|PAL|October 17, 2008|NA|October 21, 2008<ref name=ps3pressrls>{{cite press release |url=http://www.2kgames.com/#/news/2k-games-injects-playstation-reg-3-system-owners-with-genetically-enhanced-version |title=2K Games Injects PlayStation 3 System Owners with Genetically Enhanced Version of BioShock |access-date=August 26, 2010 |date=May 28, 2008 |publisher=Take-Two Interactive |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701170800/http://www.2kgames.com/#/news/2k-games-injects-playstation-reg-3-system-owners-with-genetically-enhanced-version |archive-date=July 1, 2010  }}</ref>}}'''Mac OS X'''{{Video game release|NA|October 7, 2009|EU|October 7, 2009}}'''iOS'''{{Video game release|WW|August 27, 2014}}}}
| genre = [[First-person shooter]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''BioShock''''' is a 2007 [[first-person shooter]]<!-- Consensus has so far been against calling BioShock a "Survival Horror" game. Please bring up on the talk page if you feel differently - before adding the genre. --> [[video game]] developed by 2K Boston (later [[Irrational Games]]) and [[2K Australia]], and published by [[2K (company)|2K]]. The first game in the [[BioShock (series)|''BioShock'' series]], it was released for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Xbox 360]] platforms in August 2007; a [[PlayStation 3]] port by Irrational, [[2K Marin]], [[2K Australia]] and [[Digital Extremes]] was released in October 2008. The game follows player character Jack, who discovers the underwater city of [[Rapture (BioShock)|Rapture]], built by business magnate [[Andrew Ryan (BioShock)|Andrew Ryan]] to be an isolated utopia. The discovery of ADAM, a genetic material which grants superhuman powers, initiated the city's turbulent decline. Jack attempts to escape Rapture, fighting its mutated and mechanical denizens, while engaging with the few sane survivors left and learning of the city's past. The player can defeat foes in several ways by using weapons, utilizing plasmids that give unique powers, and by turning Rapture's defenses against them.

''BioShock''{{'}}s concept was developed by Irrational's creative lead, [[Ken Levine (game developer)|Ken Levine]], and incorporates ideas by 20th century [[dystopian]] and [[utopian]] thinkers such as [[Ayn Rand]], [[George Orwell]], and [[Aldous Huxley]], as well as historical figures such as [[John D. Rockefeller Jr.]] and [[Walt Disney]]. The game includes [[Role-playing video game|role-playing]] elements, giving the player different approaches in engaging enemies such as by [[Stealth game|stealth]], as well as moral choices of saving or killing characters. Additionally, the game borrows concepts from the [[survival horror]] genre, notably the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series. ''BioShock'' is considered a [[spiritual successor]] to the [[System Shock (series)|''System Shock'' series]], on which many of Irrational's team, including Levine, had worked previously.

''BioShock'' received universal acclaim and was particularly praised by critics for its narrative, themes, visual design, setting, and gameplay. It is considered to be one of the [[List of video games considered the best|greatest video games ever made]] and a demonstration of [[video games as an art form]]. ''BioShock'' was followed by two sequels, ''[[BioShock 2]]'' and ''[[BioShock Infinite]]'', released in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Ports of ''BioShock'' were released for [[macOS]] and [[Mobile phone|mobile]] following its console releases. A remastered version of the game was released on [[Microsoft Windows]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Xbox One]], and [[Nintendo Switch]] as part of ''[[BioShock: The Collection]]''.

==Synopsis==

===Setting===
''BioShock'' takes place in [[Rapture (BioShock)|Rapture]], an underwater city built in the 1940s by [[business magnate]] [[Andrew Ryan (BioShock)|Andrew Ryan]], who wanted to create a [[utopia]] for society's elite to flourish outside of government control.<ref name="gamesradar_2010-02-10">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=February 10, 2010|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/bioshock-101-the-story-so-far/|title=BioShock 101: The Story So Far|website=[[GamesRadar+]]|url-status=live|access-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210110501/http://www.gamesradar.com/bioshock-101-the-story-so-far/|archive-date=February 10, 2018}}</ref> To protect and isolate Rapture, Ryan bans contact with the surface world.<ref name="John 18–20">{{cite journal|last=John |first=Lanchester |date=January 1, 2009 |title=Is It Art? |url=http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n01/john-lanchester/is-it-art |journal=[[London Review of Books]] |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=18–20 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005125352/http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n01/john-lanchester/is-it-art |archive-date=October 5, 2016 }}</ref> 

As Rapture flourished, wealth disparities grew, and criminal Frank Fontaine used his influence over the disenfranchised working class to establish illegal enterprises and obtain power—enough to rival Ryan. With doctors [[Brigid Tenenbaum]] and Yi Suchong, Fontaine created his own company dedicated to researching plasmids and gene tonics. As ADAM became addictive and demand skyrocketed, Fontaine secretly mass-produced ADAM through slugs implanted in the stomachs of orphaned girls, nicknamed "Little Sisters". Fontaine was killed in a shootout with police, and Ryan took the opportunity to seize his assets, including control of the Little Sisters.

In the months that followed, a man amongst the poor named [[Atlas (BioShock)|Atlas]] rose up and began a violent revolution against Ryan, with both sides using plasmid-enhanced humans (known as "Splicers") to wage war on one another. To protect the Little Sisters, Ryan created the "[[Big Daddy (BioShock)|Big Daddies]]": genetically enhanced humans surgically grafted into gigantic lumbering diving suits designed to escort the sisters as they scavenged ADAM from dead bodies.<ref name="bit-tech" /> Tensions came to a head on New Year's Eve of 1958 when Atlas ordered an all-out assault on Ryan and his supporters. The conflict turns Rapture into a war-torn [[dystopia]], resulting in societal collapse, countless deaths, many Splicers becoming disfigured and insane from ADAM abuse, and the few sane survivors barricading themselves away from the chaos<ref name="theatlantic_2010-02-18">{{cite web|last=Serwer|first=Adam|date=February 18, 2010|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/02/welcome-to-rapture/36180/|title=Welcome To Rapture|work=[[The Atlantic]]|url-status=live|access-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725223421/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/02/welcome-to-rapture/36180/|archive-date=July 25, 2019}}</ref><ref name="IGN_2007-08-16">{{cite web |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/813/813214p1.html |title=''BioShock'' Review |website=[[IGN]] |last=Onyett |first=Charles |date=August 16, 2007 |access-date=August 16, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817035302/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/813/813214p1.html |archive-date=August 17, 2007 }}</ref>

===Plot===
{{see also|Characters of the BioShock series}}
[[File:Bioshock-rapture.jpg|thumb|''BioShock''{{'}}s game design drew on [[art deco]] for much of its imagery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/bioshock|title=Unreal Engine 3 Powers Critical and Commercial Success BioShock|website=Unreal Engine|access-date=December 30, 2020|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185344/https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/bioshock|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

In 1960, the protagonist, Jack, is a passenger on a plane that crashes in the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The only survivor, Jack makes his way to a nearby lighthouse; inside is a [[bathysphere]] that takes him to Rapture. Jack is contacted via radio by Atlas, who helps guide him through the ruined city.

Atlas requests Jack's help in saving his family, who he says are in a docked bathysphere. When Jack first encounters the Little Sisters, Atlas urges him to kill them to harvest their ADAM. Dr. [[Brigid Tenenbaum]] intervenes and insists Jack should spare them, providing him with a plasmid that can remove the sea slug from their bodies and free them of their brainwashing. Jack works his way to the bathysphere, but Ryan destroys it before Jack can reach it. Infuriated, Atlas has Jack fight his way through various districts toward Ryan's lair, forcing Jack to contend with Rapture's deranged citizens along the way, such as the surgical doctor J.S. Steinman and artist and musician [[Sander Cohen]].

Jack enters Ryan's office. Ryan reveals the truth of Jack's origins: he is actually Ryan's illegitimate son, sold by Ryan's mistress as an [[embryo]] to Fontaine, who had Tenenbaum and Suchong rapidly age Jack into adulthood and turned into an obedient assassin, capable of accessing any of Rapture's systems locked to Ryan's genetic code and thus ensure Fontaine's victory in the war. Jack was smuggled to the surface with false memories of a normal life, waiting to be called back to Rapture when needed. Ryan takes control of Jack's actions by asking, "Would you kindly?"; a phrase that has preceded many of Atlas' commands as a hypnotic trigger, forcing him to follow any orders without question. Jack also realizes he was responsible for the plane crash, having read a letter onboard containing the same trigger phrase.<ref name="vox sept2016">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/10/3/13112826/bioshock-video-games-art-choice |title=Bioshock proved that video games could be art |first=Peter |last=Suderman |date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003194002/http://www.vox.com/culture/2016/10/3/13112826/bioshock-video-games-art-choice |archive-date=October 3, 2016 }}</ref>

Ryan chooses to die by his own will and compels Jack to beat him to death with a golf club. Atlas reveals himself to be Fontaine, having faked his death and used "Atlas" as an alias to hide his identity while providing a heroic figure for the poor to rally behind. With Ryan dead, Fontaine takes control of the city and leaves Jack to be killed by hostile security drones. Jack is saved by Dr. Tenenbaum, who helps remove Fontaine's mental conditioning, including one that would have stopped Jack's heart. Jack pursues Fontaine to his lair, where Fontaine transforms himself into a hulking humanoid creature by injecting himself with a large supply of ADAM. The Little Sisters aid Jack in draining the ADAM from Fontaine's body and eventually kill him.

The ending depends on how the player interacts with the Little Sisters:
* If the player rescues all or all but one of the Little Sisters, Jack takes them back to the surface with him and adopts five of them as his daughters. Tenenbaum happily narrates how they go on to live full lives under his care, eventually surrounding him on his deathbed. This ending is considered canon in ''[[BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea]]''.
* If the player harvests more than one Little Sister, Jack turns on the Little Sisters to harvest their ADAM.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://guides.ign.com/guides/793105/page_4.html |title=Guides: BioShock Guide (Xbox 360), BioShock Walkthrough |access-date=January 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206081731/http://guides.ign.com/guides/793105/page_4.html |archive-date=February 6, 2009 }}</ref> Tenenbaum sadly narrates what occurs, condemning Jack and his actions. A submarine comes across the plane's wreckage and finds itself surrounded by bathyspheres containing Splicers, who attack the crew and take control of it. The submarine is revealed to be carrying nuclear missiles, with Tenenbaum claiming that Jack has "stolen the terrible secrets of the world":<ref name="bioshock walkthrough">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/bioshock/walkthrough/fontaineslair.php |title=BioShock&nbsp;– Fontaine's Lair Walkthrough |publisher=GameBanshee |access-date=October 7, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018040421/http://gamebanshee.com/bioshock/walkthrough/fontaineslair.php |archive-date=October 18, 2007 }}</ref> The more Little Sisters Jack harvests throughout the game, the harsher and more furious Tenenbaum's narrative becomes.<ref name="endings">{{cite web |title=BioShock&nbsp;– Little Sisters and Big Daddies (SPOILERS!)&nbsp;– Game Guide |url=https://guides.gamepressure.com/bioshock/guide.asp?ID=3351 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024115707/http://guides.gamepressure.com/bioshock/guide.asp?ID=3351 |archive-date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=November 9, 2007 |publisher=GamePressure}}</ref>

==Gameplay==
[[File:Bioshock enemies.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Big Daddy (BioShock)|Big Daddy]] defends a Little Sister (both on the right) from two Splicers, while the player watches.]]

''BioShock'' is a [[first-person shooter]] with [[role-playing video game|role-playing]] customization and [[stealth game|stealth]] elements, and is similar to ''[[System Shock 2]]''. The player takes the role of [[silent protagonist]] Jack as he is guided through Rapture towards various objectives. The player collects multiple weapons and plasmids as they work their way through enemy forces. The player can switch between one active weapon and one active plasmid at any time, allowing them to find combination attacks that can be effective against certain enemies, such as first shocking a Splicer then striking them down with a wrench. Weapons are limited by ammunition that the player collects; many weapons have secondary ammo types that can be used instead for additional benefits, such as bullets that inflict fire damage. Plasmid use consumes a serum called EVE which can be restored using EVE syringes collected by the player or by consuming cigarettes and alcohol.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ggmania.com/full.php3?show=5856 |title=Gameguru reviews ''BioShock'' |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=September 17, 2007 |publisher=Game Guru Mania |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109125451/http://www.ggmania.com/full.php3?show=5856 |archive-date=November 9, 2007 }}</ref> The player has a [[Health (game terminology)|health]] meter that decreases when they take damage. The player can restore their health with food or medical packs found throughout Rapture. If the player's health is reduced to zero, they will [[spawning (video games)|respawn]] at a nearby Vita-Chamber, a device that functions as a [[Checkpoint (video gaming)|checkpoint]] system.<ref name="IGN_2007-08-16"/> A [[Patch (computing)|patch]] for the game allows the Vita-Chambers to be turned off, requiring players to restart a [[saved game]] if the character dies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/12/new-bioshock-content-patch-now-available.ars |title=New Bioshock content, patch now available |first=Frank |last=Caron |date=December 4, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |publisher=Ars Technica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531142047/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/12/new-bioshock-content-patch-now-available.ars |archive-date=May 31, 2009 }}</ref>

The game provides several options to face challenges. In addition to direct combat, the player can use plasmids to lure enemies into traps or to turn enemies against each other, or employ stealth tactics to avoid detection by hostiles including the security systems and turrets.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ic-games.co.uk/index.php?location=1&&articleid=3877 | title = ''BioShock'' (Xbox 360/PC) at ic-games.com | access-date = November 4, 2007 | publisher = IC Games | first = James | last = Collins | date = August 22, 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011233114/http://ic-games.co.uk/index.php?location=1&&articleid=3877| archive-date = October 11, 2007}}</ref> The player can [[Hacker (computer security)|hack]] into any of Rapture's automated systems; the hacking process is done via a [[Minigame|mini-game]] similar to ''[[Pipe Mania]]'' where the player must connect two points on opposite sides of a grid with a limited set of piping within a fixed amount of time, with failure to complete in time costing health and potentially sounding alarms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xbox.about.com/od/xbox360reviews/fr/bioshockrev.htm |title=''BioShock'' Review (X360) at Xbox.about.com |access-date=November 4, 2007 |first=Eric |last=Qualls |publisher=[[About.com]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025041435/http://xbox.about.com/od/xbox360reviews/fr/bioshockrev.htm |archive-date=October 25, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="CenturionElite">{{cite web|url=http://gametz.com/Review/1654.html |title=''BioShock'' (Xbox 360) review by Gametz |author=CenturionElite |access-date=November 16, 2007 |date=August 29, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112093422/http://gametz.com/Review/1654.html |archive-date=November 12, 2007 }}</ref> Early in the game, the player is given a research camera; by taking photographs of enemies, the player will cumulatively gain knowledge about the individual foes which translates into attack boosts and other benefits when facing that enemy type in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/bioshock/weapons/researchcamera.php |title=Research Camera |access-date=November 10, 2007 |publisher=GameBanshee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217141921/http://www.gamebanshee.com/bioshock/weapons/researchcamera.php |archive-date=December 17, 2007 }}</ref>

The player collects money by exploring Rapture and from the bodies of defeated foes; this money can be used at vending machines to restock on ammunition, health and EVE, and other [[Item (game terminology)|items]]; like security cameras, vending machines can be hacked to reduce the costs of items from it.<ref name="CenturionElite"/> The player will receive rewards in the form of ADAM from completing some tasks, as well as from either saving or killing the Little Sisters after defeating their Big Daddy guardian. ADAM is used to purchase plasmids from Gatherer's Garden machines scattered around Rapture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/32465?from=30&comments_per_page=30 |title=''BioShock'' morality |first=Julian |last=Murdoch |access-date=November 4, 2007 |publisher=Gamers With Jobs |date=June 5, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110232605/http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/32465?from=30&comments_per_page=30 |archive-date=November 10, 2007 }}</ref> In addition to plasmids, the player can collect and buy tonics that provide passive bonuses, such as increasing Jack's strength, using EVE more efficiently, or making Jack more resistant to damage. The player can only have a limited number of plasmids and tonics active at any time, and can swap between the various plasmids and tonics at certain stations located throughout Rapture.<ref name="bit-tech">{{cite web|url=http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/21/bioshock_gameplay_review/3 |title=''BioShock'' Gameplay Review (page 2) |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=August 21, 2007 |first=Joe |last=Martin |publisher=[[Bit-tech]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011130758/http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/21/bioshock_gameplay_review/3 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref>

==Development==

===Game design===
Lead developer Ken Levine had created Irrational Games in 1997 out of former members from [[Looking Glass Studios]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/bioshock/707256p1.html |title=GameSpy: ''BioShock'' Preview |date=May 10, 2006 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |publisher=Gamespy |first=Li C. |last=Kuo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030124504/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/bioshock/707256p1.html |archive-date=October 30, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/556/556421p1.html |title=IGN ''BioShock'' Interview |publisher=IGN |date=October 4, 2004 |access-date=October 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315134513/http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/556/556421p1.html |archive-date=March 15, 2009 }}</ref> Their first game was ''[[System Shock 2]]'', a sequel to Looking Glass's ''[[System Shock]]'', and was met with critical success, though it did not prove a financial one. Levine had attempted to pitch a sequel to ''System Shock 2'' to [[Electronic Arts]], but the publisher rejected the idea based on the poor performance of the earlier game.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Irrational developed other games, including ''[[Freedom Force (2002 video game)|Freedom Force]]'', ''[[Tribes: Vengeance]]'', the canceled title ''Deep Cover'', and the completed ''[[The Lost (video game)|The Lost]]'' which was never released due to legal complications. At this point, Levine wanted to return to a game in the same style as ''System Shock 2'', a more free-form game with strong narrative.<ref name="eurogamer truestory">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-17-the-true-story-of-bioshock |title=Rapture leaked: The true story behind the making of BioShock |publisher=[[Eurogamer]] |date=April 17, 2014 |access-date=April 22, 2014 |first=Simon |last=Parkin |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421234418/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-17-the-true-story-of-bioshock |archive-date=April 21, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="edge history">{{Cite magazine | url = http://www.edge-online.com/features/making-bioshock/ | title = The Making Of: BioShock | date = July 23, 2012 | access-date = November 1, 2016 | magazine = [[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531030452/http://www.edge-online.com/features/making-bioshock/ | archive-date=May 31, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2002, the team had come up with a core gameplay mechanic idea based on three groups of forces: drones that would carry a desirable resource, protectors that would guard the drones, and harvesters that would attempt to take the resource from the drones; these would eventually bear out as the Little Sisters, Big Daddies, and Splicers in the final game, but at the time of the concept, there was no set theme.<ref name="edge history"/> They began working on creating a setting as to be able to pitch the idea to publishers.<ref name="edge history"/> A 2002 demonstration version was based on the [[Unreal Engine 2]] for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]].<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> This demonstration was primarily set aboard a space station overtaken with genetically mutated monsters; the main character was Carlos Cuello, a "cult [[Deprogramming|deprogrammer]]"—a person charged with rescuing someone from a [[cult]], and mentally and psychologically readjusting that person to a normal life.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/><ref name="shacknews original story">{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48731 |title=Levine: ''BioShock'' Originally About Cult Deprogrammer (Updated) |date=August 30, 2007 |access-date=August 31, 2007 |first=Chris |last=Remo |publisher=Shacknews |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235653/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48731 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }}</ref> Ken Levine cites an example of what a cult deprogrammer does: "[There are] people who hired people to [for example] deprogram their daughter who had been in a lesbian relationship. They kidnap her and reprogram her, and it was a really dark person, and that was the [kind of] character that you were."<ref name="shacknews spoiler interview">{{cite web|title=Ken Levine on ''BioShock'': The Spoiler Interview |url=http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=539 |date=August 20, 2007 |access-date=August 31, 2007 |first=Chris |last=Remo |publisher=Shacknews |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016213627/http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=539 |archive-date=October 16, 2009  }}</ref> This story would have been more political in nature, with the character hired by a [[United States Senate|Senator]].<ref name="shacknews spoiler interview"/> The team collectively agreed that this game was not what they had set out to make, and were having trouble finding a publisher.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Levine found that publishers were wary of [[immersive sim]]s as they did not sell well.<ref name="pcgamer edge 400"/> They considered ending development, but as news about their efforts to create a [[spiritual successor]] to ''System Shock 2'' began to appear in gaming magazines and websites, the team opted to continue development, performing a full revamp.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/>

By 2004, 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, offered to publish the game primarily based on the drone/protector/harvester concept, giving Irrational the freedom to develop the story and setting.<ref name="edge history"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ign.com/articles/2008/10/29/13-scariest-games-of-this-generation?page=4 |title=13 Scariest Games of this Generation |date=October 29, 2008 |publisher=[[IGN]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052223/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/29/13-scariest-games-of-this-generation?page=4 |archive-date=August 8, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/01/08/the-return-of-irrational-games.aspx |title=The Return Of Irrational Games |date=January 8, 2010 |publisher=[[Game Informer]] |access-date=January 20, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111215144/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/01/08/the-return-of-irrational-games.aspx |archive-date=January 11, 2010 }}</ref> By this point, the story and setting had changed significantly, taking place in an abandoned World War II-era Nazi laboratory that had been recently unearthed by 21st-century scientists. Over the decades, the genetic experiments within the labs had gradually formed themselves into an ecosystem centered on the three groups.<ref>{{cite web | title = BioShock First Look – Exclusive First Impressions | url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-first-look-exclusive-first-impressions/1100-6110044/ | date = October 10, 2004 | access-date = August 2, 2008 | first = Andrew | last = Park | publisher = Gamespot | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141106120001/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-first-look-exclusive-first-impressions/1100-6110044/ | archive-date = November 6, 2014 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref> This version included many of the gameplay elements that would remain in the final ''BioShock'', themselves influenced by concepts from ''System Shock 2''. These elements included the use of plasmids and EVE, the need to use stealth or other options to deal with automated security systems, direction through the environment from a non-player character relayed over a radio, and story elements delivered through audio recordings and "ghosts" of deceased characters.<ref name="multiple">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/bioshock/news.html?page=1&sid=6150533&tag=result;title;0 | title=E3 06: ''BioShock'' Gameplay Demo Impressions | publisher=Gamespot | date=May 10, 2006 | access-date=November 4, 2007 | author=Brad Shoemaker and Andrew Park | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127063056/http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock/previews/e3-06-bioshock-gameplay-demo-impressions-6150533/ | archive-date=January 27, 2012 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/21/bioshock_gameplay_review/6 |title=''BioShock'' Gameplay Review&nbsp;– Overlooked details |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=August 21, 2007 |first=Joe |last=Martin |publisher=Bit-Tech |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011122106/http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/21/bioshock_gameplay_review/6 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/bioshock1.php |title=''BioShock'' Interview |publisher=Gamebanshee |date=June 13, 2007 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |first=Jon |last=Birnbaum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011195300/http://gamebanshee.com/interviews/bioshock1.php |archive-date=October 11, 2007  }}</ref> The funding provided by 2K Games in 2004 was a "modest budget", according to Levine, and when Irrational was acquired by 2K in 2006, the publisher put in a much larger set of funds to complete the game.<ref name="pcgamer edge 400">{{cite web|last=Stanton|first=Rich|date=July 15, 2024|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/ken-levine-says-bioshock-was-almost-cancelled-after-going-over-time-and-over-budget-while-all-publishers-cared-about-was-that-these-games-dont-make-any-money|title=Ken Levine says Bioshock was 'almost cancelled' after going over time and over budget, while all publishers cared about was that these games 'don't make any money'|website=[[PC Gamer]]|access-date=July 15, 2024|archive-date=July 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715181942/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/ken-levine-says-bioshock-was-almost-cancelled-after-going-over-time-and-over-budget-while-all-publishers-cared-about-was-that-these-games-dont-make-any-money/|url-status=live}}</ref>

While the gameplay with the 2004 reveal was similar to what resulted in the released version of ''BioShock'', both design and story changed, consistent with what Levine says was then-Irrational Games' guiding principle of putting game design first.<ref name = "shacknews original story"/> These areas were also issued due to some internal strife and lack of communication between the various teams within Irrational, part of the result of having to expand the team from six to sixty members for the scope of the project.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> The environment was considered bland, and there were difficulties by the team's artists to come up with a consistent vision to meet the level designer's goals.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> A critical junction was a short experiment performed by level designer Jean Paul LeBreton and artist Hoagy de la Plante, setting themselves aside to co-develop a level that became part of the "Tea Garden" area in the released game, which Levine used as a prime example of a "great ''BioShock'' space", emphasizing the need for departments to work together.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Levine found that the cyberpunk theme had been overplayed considering their initial reject from Electronic Arts for ''System Shock 3'', leading towards the underwater setting of Rapture.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/>

The game's lead level designer was Bill Gardner.<ref name="gamasutra">{{cite web |last1=Francis |first1=Bryant |title=Would you kindly join us and BioShock designer Bill Gardner today at 3PM EST? |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/would-you-kindly-join-us-and-i-bioshock-i-designer-bill-gardner-today-at-3pm-est- |website=[[Gamasutra]] |date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120245/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/281521/Would_you_kindly_join_us_and_BioShock_designer_Bill_Gardner_today_at_3PM_EST.php |url-status=live }}</ref> He cited [[Capcom]]'s [[survival horror]] series ''[[Resident Evil]]'' as a significant influence on ''BioShock'', stating there are "all these nods and all these little elements that I think you can see where ''Resident Evil'' inspired us". The team were particularly influenced by ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'', including its approach to the environments, combat, and tools, its game design and tactical elements, its "gameplay fuelled storytelling" and inventory system, and its opening village level in terms of how it "handled the sandbox nature of the combat" and in terms of "the environment".<ref>{{cite web |title=How Resident Evil 4 Influenced BioShock |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/bioshock/268610/how-resident-evil-4-influenced-bioshock |website=[[Den of Geek]] |access-date=May 30, 2019 |date=October 29, 2018 |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120245/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/how-resident-evil-4-influenced-bioshock/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Story and theme development===
[[File:Atlas Statue 630 Fifth Ave (1).jpg|thumb|right|upright|A visit to the [[GE Building]] and its [[Atlas (statue)|statue of Atlas]] in New York City was the principal idea that led to the art deco stylings of ''BioShock''.]]
The thematic core of ''BioShock'' was born when Levine was walking at [[Rockefeller Center]] near the [[GE Building]] in New York City. He saw the uniqueness of the [[art deco]] styling of the building along with imagery around the building such as the [[Atlas (statue)|statue of Atlas]] near it, and recognized that these were spaces that had not been experienced in the first-person shooter genre.<ref name="edge history"/> The history of the Rockefeller Center also fed into the story concept; Levine noted how the center had started construction prior to the [[Great Depression]]; when the primary financiers had pulled out, [[John D. Rockefeller Jr.]] backed the remaining construction to complete the project himself, as stated by ''Edge'' magazine "a great man building an architectural triumph against all the odds".<ref name="edge history"/> The history of Rapture and the character of Andrew Ryan is loosely based on Rockefeller's story.<ref name="edge history"/> He also considered that many of the characters of Rapture were all people who were oppressed once before in their lives and now free of that oppression, have turned around and become the oppressors, a fact he felt resonated throughout human history.<ref name="glixel sept2016"/>

At this point in the development, the backdrop of Rapture had been fleshed out, but they had yet to come on how to represent the drones, protectors, and harvesters from their original game idea. The Big Daddy concept as the protector class was developed early in the process, but the team had yet to reach a satisfying design for the drones, having used several possible designs including bugs and dogs in wheelchairs.<ref name="edge history"/> The team wanted to have the player care for the drones in some way and create pathos for these characters. The idea of using little girls came out of brainstorming, but was controversial and shocking within the team at first, recognizing that they could easily be killed and make the game more horrific in the style of ''[[Night Trap]]''.<ref name="edge history"/> However, as Levine worked on the story, he started to incorporate the ideas of dystopian and utopian thinkers from the 20th century, including [[Ayn Rand]], [[Aldous Huxley]], and [[George Orwell]], and considered their ideas "fascinating".<ref name="ign myths">{{cite web |url=http://au.xbox360.ign.com/articles/704/704806p1.html |title=The Influence of Literature and Myth in Videogames |first=Douglass C. |last=Perry |publisher=IGN |date=May 26, 2006 |access-date=October 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104025910/http://au.xbox360.ign.com/articles/704/704806p1.html |archive-date=January 4, 2009 }}</ref> He brought in the ideas of [[Objectivism]] that Rand primarily outlined in the book ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', that man should be driven by selfishness and not altruism, and used this to inform the philosophy behind the city of Rapture and Andrew Ryan's work, viewing them as quite ludicrous, and primed to be applied to an antagonist, tied in with his previous observations on Rockefeller and his writings.<ref name="edge history"/> This was extended to the use of the little girls as drones (now Little Sisters), particularly the question whether the player should try to save the girls or harvest the ADAM for their benefit.<ref name="edge history"/> 2K Games expressed concern about the initial mechanic of the Little Sisters, where the player would actively prey on the Little Sister, which would have alerted a Big Daddy and set up the fight with the player. This approach did not sit well with Levine, and 2K Games asserted that they would not ship a game "where the player gets punished for doing the right thing".<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> They altered this approach where the Little Sisters would be invulnerable until the player had dealt with their Big Daddy, though LeBreton considered this "a massive kludge" into the game's fiction.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/><ref name="edge history"/> The idea of creating the Little Sisters and presenting the player with this choice became a critical part of the game's appeal to the broader gaming market, although it was met with criticism from some outlets.<ref name="edge history"/> Levine desired only to have one ending to the game, something that would have left the fate of the characters "much more ambiguous", but publisher pressure directed them to craft multiple endings depending on the choice of harvesting Little Sisters.<ref name="glixel sept2016"/> Levine also noted that "it was never my intention to do two endings for the game. It sort of came very late and it was something that was requested by somebody up the food chain from me."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-diving-deeper-into-bioshocks-story/1100-6179423/ |title=Q&A: Diving deeper into ''BioShock''s story |date=September 20, 2007 |access-date=September 20, 2007 |publisher=Gamespot |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011144853/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-diving-deeper-into-bioshocks-story/1100-6179423/ |archive-date=October 11, 2014 }}</ref>

Other elements came into the story design. Levine had an interest in "stem cell research and the moral issues that go around <nowiki>[it]</nowiki>".<ref name="ign myths"/> Regarding artistic influences, Levine cited the books ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'' and ''[[Logan's Run]]'', representing societies that have "really interesting ideas screwed up by the fact that we're people".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=77456 |title=Big Daddy speaks |publisher=[[Eurogamer]] |first=Johnny |last=Minkley |date=June 8, 2007 |access-date=June 21, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821030637/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=77456 |archive-date=August 21, 2007 }}</ref> The idea of the mind control used on Jack was offered by LeBreton, inspired by films like ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'', as a means to provide a better reason to limit the player's actions as opposed to the traditional use of locked doors to prevent them exploring areas they should not. The team had agreed that Jack's actions would be controlled by a key phrase but struggled with coming up with one that would not reveal Atlas' true nature. Levine happened upon "Would you kindly" after working on marketing materials for the game that asked the reader hypothetical questions such as "Would you kill people, even innocent people, to survive?", later working that phrase into the first script for the game.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/>

Numerous tensions within the team and from publisher 2K Games continued during the development process. According to LeBreton, Levine was distrustful of some of the more egotistical newer hires and was often arguing with them to enforce his vision of ''BioShock''.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> 2K Games was concerned with the growing budget for the title, and told Levine to market the title more as a first-person shooter rather than the first-person shooter/role playing game hybrid they set out for.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Near the targeted release date, Levine ordered the team into round-the-clock development, creating more strife in the team.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Paul Hellquist, the game's lead designer, was often omitted from key design meetings, which he later recounted was due to his contrary nature to Levine, questioning several of his choices; he used his frustration to put into the design efforts for the Medical Pavilion level that he was in charge of at that time.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> Near the anticipated completion date, 2K decided to give Irrational another three months to polish up the game, extending the current crunch time the studio was already under.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> This left some hard-to-discover bugs and issues in the game undiscovered. One such case was an apparent [[Easter egg (media)|Easter egg]] found in the remastered version in 2018, where under certain conditions, the player can end up looking at an object with the description "Paul Hellquist did not do his Job". Both Levine and Chris Kline, the game's lead programmer confirmed the message was a cheeky jab at Hellquist left as a debugging message; Kline and Hellquist were developing the systems to show descriptions of objects to players when looked at, and Hellquist offered to complete all the necessary descriptions in-game; to jokingly help prod Hellquist along, Kline put "Paul Hellquist did not do his Job" as the default message within the executable code. While the code message was changed for the original release, the remastered version likely used a pre-final version of the ''BioShock'' code, according to Kline.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.pcgamer.com/bioshock-developer-confirms-that-obscure-easter-egg-debug-message-is-real/ | title = BioShock developer confirms that obscure Easter egg debug message is real | first = Andy | last = Chalk | date = January 9, 2018 | access-date = January 9, 2018 | work = [[PC Gamer]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180109235001/http://www.pcgamer.com/bioshock-developer-confirms-that-obscure-easter-egg-debug-message-is-real/ | archive-date = January 9, 2018 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Hellquist took the revelation in good humor and tweeted that other Easter eggs should have been added to the game to display: "If you are enjoying this, Paul Hellquist did his job."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/01/obscure-hidden-message-in-bioshock-re-surfaces-a-decade-after-release/ |title=Obscure Hidden Message In BioShock Re-Surfaces A Decade After Release |date=January 9, 2018 |publisher=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=January 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110044506/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/01/obscure-hidden-message-in-bioshock-re-surfaces-a-decade-after-release/ |archive-date=January 10, 2018 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

A critical [[playtest]] of the game occurred in January 2007, where initial feedback from the players was mostly negative, including issues of the setting being too dark, having no idea where to go, and distrusting Atlas, who at the time was voiced in a southern drawl, described as a "lecherous Colonel Sanders".<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> The team took this criticism to heart, revamping several elements during those extra months such as improving the lighting, implementing a quest marker, and using an Irish voice for Atlas to make him sound more trustworthy.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> During another late-stage playtest with the title "ninety-nine percent" complete according to Levine, the playtesters did not like the game at all as they felt no connection to the player-character Jack, and the person overseeing the tests told Levine that the game was likely to be a failure. At this point, ''BioShock'' did not have many cutscenes, as Levine was ideologically opposed to them. However, the following day, Levine and the lead group came up with a "cheap" way to correct this, by adding the initial cut scene within the plane and the subsequent plane crash, as this helped to set the time frame, place the player in the role of the character, and alluded to the "would you kindly" line later in the game.<ref name="glixel sept2016">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/we-were-all-miserable-inside-bioshock-video-game-franchise-w439921 |title=Inside the Making of 'BioShock' Series With Creator Ken Levine |first=Chris |last=Suellentrop |date=September 14, 2016 |access-date=September 15, 2016 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916112859/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/we-were-all-miserable-inside-bioshock-video-game-franchise-w439921 |archive-date=September 16, 2016 }}</ref> Levine likened this approach to the initial aircraft crash at the onset of the television show ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'' to quickly establish character and setting.<ref name="edge history"/>

The game was successfully released in August 2007 with a final budget of about $25 million.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/> In a 2016 interview, Levine felt that the game could have used about six more months of development to improve the gun combat system and fix lagging issues that occurred during the final boss fight.<ref name="glixel sept2016"/> Despite the critical success of the title, many of those on the team would leave Irrational to pursue other projects due to late development strife that occurred.<ref name="eurogamer truestory"/>

In an interview in 2018, Levine had come to recognize that ''BioShock'' reflected several [[Jews|Jewish]] themes, though this was not intentional. Levine, who considers himself culturally Jewish but [[Jewish secularism|does not follow]] [[Judaism]], had grown up in New Jersey but spent much of his childhood time with his father who worked in Manhattan's [[Diamond District, Manhattan|Diamond District]] and visiting his grandparents in [[Queens]], a neighborhood with a large proportion of Eastern European immigrants. Thus, Levine was exposed to much of the Jewish culture that flourished in the area following [[World War II]] and understood some of the anxiety Jewish people faced.<ref name="kotaku jewish">{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/bioshocks-jewish-roots-run-deep-1827482206 | title = BioShock's Jewish Roots Run Deep | first = Cody | last = Mello-Klein | date = July 10, 2018 | access-date = July 10, 2018 | work = [[Kotaku]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180711021704/https://kotaku.com/bioshocks-jewish-roots-run-deep-1827482206 | archive-date = July 11, 2018 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref> In the 2018 interview, Levine recognized several of the characters, including Andrew Ryan (who was inspired by Ayn Rand who was also Jewish), Sander Cohen, and Brigid Tenenbaum, were written all as Jewish, and all seeking to escape a world they felt they did not fit into by going to Rapture; Levine said: {{"'}}There's literal displacement and then there's a feeling of not fitting in, of 'I don't really belong here'. I think Jews are always going to feel a little bit like they don't belong wherever they are. There's always that 'what if we have to flee' mentality."<ref name="kotaku jewish"/>

===Game engine===
''BioShock'' uses a heavily modified [[Unreal Engine 2|Unreal Engine 2.5]] with some of the advanced technologies from [[Unreal Engine 3]].<ref name=engine /> Irrational had previous experience with modifying and expanding on the Unreal Engine in ''[[SWAT 4]]'', and continued this advancement of the engine within ''BioShock''. One significant improvement they added was improved water effects, given the nature of the game's setting, hiring a programmer and artist to focus on the water effects.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://360.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=7461&pg=3 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011171901/http://360.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=7461&pg=3 | archive-date=October 11, 2007| title=E3 06: ''BioShock'' Interview Transcript | date=May 18, 2006|access-date = May 18, 2007 | publisher = Advanced Media Network | first = Eric | last = Topf}}</ref> This graphical enhancement has been lauded by critics, with [[GameSpot]] saying: "Whether it's standing water on the floor or sea water rushing in after an explosion, it will blow you away every time you see it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/bioshock/review.html |title=''Bioshock'' |date=August 21, 2007 |access-date=August 21, 2007 |first=Jeff |last=Gerstmann |publisher=Gamespot |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011093628/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/bioshock/review.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref> ''BioShock'' also uses the [[Havok Physics]] engine that allows for an enhancement of in-game [[physics]], the integration of [[ragdoll physics]], and allows for more lifelike movement by elements of the environment.<ref name="BioFAQs 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bioshock-online.com/faq/#engine |title=''BioShock'' FAQs&nbsp;– What engine is ''BioShock'' using? |access-date=October 7, 2007 |date=December 30, 2006 |publisher=Through the Looking Glass |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011150416/http://bioshock-online.com/faq/ |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref> The Windows version was built to work in both [[Direct3D|Direct3D 10 (DirectX 10)]] and DirectX 9, with the DirectX 10 version supporting additional water and particle effects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.gamespot.com/features/6177688/index.html |title=BioShock Hardware Performance Guide |first=Sarju |last=Shah |date=August 26, 2007 |access-date=March 3, 2008 |publisher=Gamespot AU |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026023845/http://au.gamespot.com/features/6177688/index.html |archive-date=October 26, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/30/bioshock_gameplay_graphics_and_performance/1 |title=BioShock: Graphics & Performance |date=August 30, 2007 |access-date=March 3, 2008 |first=Tim |last=Smalley |publisher=Bit-Tech |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216102314/http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/08/30/bioshock_gameplay_graphics_and_performance/1 |archive-date=February 16, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/77486-bioshock-image-quality-dx9-vs-dx10 |title=''BioShock Image Quality: DX9 Vs. DX10'' |date=August 23, 2007 |publisher=ExtremeTech |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308211124/http://www.extremetech.com/computing/77486-bioshock-image-quality-dx9-vs-dx10 |archive-date=March 8, 2016 }}</ref>

===Soundtrack===
{{Main|Music of the BioShock series}}

''BioShock'' contains both licensed music and an original score. The licensed music from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s can be heard playing on [[phonograph]] throughout Rapture. In total, 30 licensed songs can be heard throughout the game.<ref name="Hyrb">{{cite web | url = http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/10/11/bioshock-music-list.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090604094249/http://majornelson.com/archive/2007/10/11/bioshock-music-list.aspx | archive-date = June 4, 2009 | title = ''BioShock'' Music list | date = October 11, 2007 | access-date = October 12, 2007 | publisher = Major Nelson's Blog | first = Larry | last = Hyrb }}</ref> The original score was composed by [[Garry Schyman]]. He composed his pieces to blend with the chosen licensed music as to keep the same feel, while also trying to bring out something that was "eerie, frightening and at times beautiful" to mesh well with Rapture's environments.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Soundtrack Nation: Interviews with Today's Top Professionals in Film, Videogame, and Television Scoring, 1st Ed. | isbn = 978-1435457621 | publisher = Cengage Learning | year = 2010 | first = Tom | last =Hoover | section = Chapter 1: Gerry Schyman }}</ref>

2K Games released an orchestral score soundtrack on their official homepage on August 24, 2007. Available in [[MP3]] format, the score—composed by Garry Schyman—contains 12 of the 22 tracks from the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/orchestralscore |title=Introducing the BioShock Orchestral Score |publisher=[[2K Games]] |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=August 24, 2007 |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928132152/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/orchestralscore |archive-date=September 28, 2011 }}</ref> The Limited Edition version of the game came with ''The Rapture EP'' remixes by [[Moby]] and Oscar The Punk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/its-free/a-bioshockep-with-period-remixes-290859.php |title=Limited Edition Rapture EP |publisher=Kotaku |access-date=September 24, 2011 |date=August 17, 2007 |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112063230/http://kotaku.com/gaming/its-free/a-bioshockep-with-period-remixes-290859.php |archive-date=November 12, 2007 }}</ref> The three remixed tracks on the CD include "[[Beyond the Sea (song)|Beyond the Sea]]", "[[God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)|God Bless the Child]]" and "Wild Little Sisters"; the original recordings of these songs are in the game.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/08/a-tale-of-two-c/ |title=A Tale of Two Covers: BioShock |first=Susan |last=Ardant |date=August 21, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108072438/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/08/a-tale-of-two-c/ |archive-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref> ''BioShock''{{'s}} score was released on a vinyl LP with the ''BioShock 2'' Special Edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/bioshock2se |title=The BioShock 2 Special Edition |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |date=November 19, 2009 |access-date=January 28, 2010 |publisher=[[2k Games]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228211429/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/bioshock2se |archive-date=February 28, 2012 }}</ref>

==Release and promotion==

An initial [[Game demo|demo]] of the game was made available in August 2007 for [[Xbox 360]] and Microsoft Windows.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/08/12/demo-bioshock.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081011221342/http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/08/12/demo-bioshock.aspx| archive-date=October 11, 2008| title = Demo: BioShock | publisher = Major Nelson's Blog | first = Larry | last = Hyrb | date = August 12, 2007 | access-date = November 4, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/08/12/show-239-wma-the-one-about-the-bioshock-demo-with-ken-levine.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090204040601/http://majornelson.com/archive/2007/08/12/show-239-wma-the-one-about-the-bioshock-demo-with-ken-levine.aspx | archive-date = February 4, 2009 | title = Show #239 (WMA) The one about the BioShock demo with Ken Levine | publisher = Major Nelson's Blog | first = Larry | last = Hyrb | date = August 12, 2007 | access-date = November 4, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/bioshock-pc-demo-is-now-available/ |title=BioShock PC demo is now available |first=Ross |last=Miller |date=August 20, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |publisher=Joystiq |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715120404/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/bioshock-pc-demo-is-now-available/ |archive-date=July 15, 2012  }}</ref> This demo included cutscenes to introduce the player to Rapture, the game's tutorial section, and its first levels; the demo also included weapons, plasmids, and tonics that would otherwise be introduced later in the full title, as to give the player more of the features that would be found in the published game.<ref name="bit-tech" /> The Xbox 360 demo was the fastest demo at that time to reach one million downloads on the [[Xbox Live]] service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xboxworld.com.au/news/bioshock-sets-new-xbox-live-marketplace-record.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206030710/http://www.xboxworld.com.au/news/bioshock-sets-new-xbox-live-marketplace-record.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 6, 2012 |title=''bioshock'' sets new Xbox live marketplace record |publisher=Xbox World Australia |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=July 9, 2007 }}</ref> The full game was released for these platforms on August 21, 2007.

After a fan petition calling for a [[special edition]] of the game reached 5,000 signatures, 2K Games announced a limited edition of the game, featuring a Big Daddy figurine, making-of materials, and the game's soundtrack.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Surette |first=Tom |date=April 27, 2007 |title=BioShock LE innards dissected |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-le-innards-dissected/1100-6169650/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=[[GameSpot]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Before the special edition was released, the proposed soundtrack CD was replaced with ''The Rapture EP''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=August 17, 2007 |title=A ''BioShock''...EP? With "Period" Remixes? |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/its-free/a-bioshockep-with-period-remixes-290859.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112063230/http://kotaku.com/gaming/its-free/a-bioshockep-with-period-remixes-290859.php |archive-date=November 12, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |publisher=Kotaku}}</ref>

The first patch for the Xbox 360 version was released about two weeks after release to fix some of the game stability issues players had reported.<ref name="nelsonupdate">{{cite web | url = http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/09/06/bioshock-title-update.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090202145901/http://majornelson.com/archive/2007/09/06/bioshock-title-update.aspx | archive-date = February 2, 2009 | title = ''BioShock'' Title update | publisher = Major Nelson's Blog | last = Hryb | first = Larry | date=September 6, 2007 | access-date = September 9, 2007}}</ref> The patch was found to introduce more problems to the game for some users, including occasional [[Hang (computing)|freezes]], bad [[framerate]]s, and audio-related issues, though methods to resolve these issues through the console's cache system were outlined by Irrational Games.<ref name="updateprobs">{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48832 |title=BioShock X360 Update Solves, Introduces Issues (Updated) |publisher=Shacknews |first=Chris |last=Faylor |date=September 7, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008162426/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48832 |archive-date=October 8, 2007 }}</ref>

In December 2007, a common patch was released for both the Xbox 360 and Windows version. The patch included additional content such as new Plasmids, new [[Achievement (video games)|achievements]] for the Xbox 360 version, and additional graphics settings to address some of the field-of-view issues identified by players. (See [[#PC technical issues and DRM|below]]). The patch also added in an option to disable the use of Vita-Chambers, a feature requested by players to make the game more challenging, as well as an achievement to complete the game at its hardest setting without using a Vita-Chamber.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/patchavailtonight |title=BioShock PC Patch, Xbox 360 Title update and Downloadable Content |date=December 3, 2007 |access-date=December 3, 2007 |publisher=Cult of Rapture |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228210855/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/patchavailtonight |archive-date=February 28, 2012 }}</ref>

On July 8, 2014, 2K Games released a DRM-free version of ''BioShock'' on the [[Humble Bundle|Humble 2K Bundle]],<ref>{{cite web |date=July 8, 2014 |title=BioShock for a penny, plus more games in the Humble 2K Bundle |url=http://blog.humblebundle.com/post/91169765649/bioshock-for-a-penny-plus-more-games-in-the |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304130241/http://blog.humblebundle.com/post/91169765649/bioshock-for-a-penny-plus-more-games-in-the |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=May 30, 2015 |publisher=[[Humble Bundle]]}}</ref> and then re-released on the Humble Store.

On December 17, 2018, ''BioShock'' and ''BioShock 2'' remastered were released DRM-free on [[GOG.com|GOG]].<ref>{{cite web |date=December 17, 2018 |title=Release: BioShock & Bioshock 2 Remastered |url=https://www.gog.com/news/release_bioshock_bioshock_2_remastered |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102094639/https://www.gog.com/news/release_bioshock_bioshock_2_remastered |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |access-date=January 1, 2019 |publisher=[[GOG.com]]}}</ref>

===Ports===
In an August 2007 interview, when asked about the possibility of a [[PlayStation 3]] version of ''BioShock'', Ken Levine had stated only that there was "no PS3 development going on" at the time;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/levine-confirms-no-ps3-bioshock-and-does-mea-culpa-on-pc-issues/ |title=Levine confirms no PS3 ''BioShock'' and does mea culpa on PC issues – success hurts |publisher=Joystiq |date=August 24, 2007 |access-date=August 24, 2007 |first=Alexander |last=Sliwinski |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827022955/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/levine-confirms-no-ps3-bioshock-and-does-mea-culpa-on-pc-issues/ |archive-date=August 27, 2007  }}</ref> however, on May 28, 2008, [[2K Games]] confirmed that a PlayStation 3 version of the game was in development by [[2K Marin]], and it was released on October 17, 2008.<ref name=ps3pressrls/> On July 3, 2008, 2K Games announced a partnership with [[Digital Extremes]] and said that the PlayStation 3 version is being developed by 2K Marin, 2K Boston, 2K Australia, and Digital Extremes.<ref name=DEPartnership>{{cite web |url=http://www.2kgames.com/#/news/2k-games-announces-partnership-with-digital-extremes |title=2K Games Announces Partnership with Digital Extremes |access-date=August 26, 2010 |date=July 3, 2008 |publisher=Take-Two Interactive |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701170800/http://www.2kgames.com/#/news/2k-games-announces-partnership-with-digital-extremes |archive-date=July 1, 2010  }}</ref> Jordan Thomas was the director for the PlayStation 3 version. While there were no graphical improvements to the game over the original Xbox 360 version,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/bioshocks-ps3-graphics-identical-to-xbox-360/ |title=BioShocks PS3 Graphics Identical To Xbox 360 |publisher=Joystiq |date=July 22, 2008 |access-date=July 23, 2008 |first=Alexander |last=Sliwinski |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724110118/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/bioshocks-ps3-graphics-identical-to-xbox-360/ |archive-date=July 24, 2008  }}</ref> the PlayStation 3 version offered the widescreen option called "horizontal plus", introduced via a patch on the 360 version, while cutscene videos were of a much higher resolution than in the [[DVD]] version.<ref>{{cite video|people=Melissa Miller (Senior Producer, 2K Games) and Jake Ikten (Senior Programmer, 2K Games) |title=IGN Podcast Beyond, Episode 63 |url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/918/918295p1.html?RSSwhen2008-10-09_133400&RSSid=918295 |format=MP3 |publisher=IGN |location=San Francisco, CA |access-date=October 10, 2008 |time=26:50 |quote=JI: "We did actually use the Blu-Ray for a few things... the movies are much higher res because they wouldn't exactly fit on the DVD" |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921010337/http://ps3.ign.com/articles/918/918295p1.html?RSSwhen2008-10-09_133400&RSSid=918295 |archive-date=September 21, 2011 }}</ref> Additional add-on content was also released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 version.<ref name=ps3pressrls/><ref>{{cite video|people=Melissa Miller (Senior Producer, 2K Games) and Jake Ikten (Senior Programmer, 2K Games) |title=IGN Podcast Beyond, Episode 63 |url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/918/918295p1.html?RSSwhen2008-10-09_133400&RSSid=918295 |format=MP3 |publisher=IGN |location=San Francisco, CA |access-date=October 10, 2008 |time=15:40 |quote=JI: "We added a lot of new things to the PlayStation 3 version. The main one is the Survivor Mode and the DLC." MM: "...as far as that add-on content coming to the 360, it is PS3 exclusive" |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921010337/http://ps3.ign.com/articles/918/918295p1.html?RSSwhen2008-10-09_133400&RSSid=918295 |archive-date=September 21, 2011 }}</ref> One addition was "Survivor Mode", in which the enemies were made tougher, and Vita-Chambers provided less of a health boost when used, forcing the player to be more creative in approaching foes and to rely more on the less-used plasmids in the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/survivormode |title=All About Survivor Mode |publisher=The Cult of Rapture |date=August 5, 2008 |access-date=August 6, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310055910/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/survivormode |archive-date=March 10, 2012 }}</ref> ''BioShock'' also supports [[PlayStation Network#Trophies|Trophies]] and [[PlayStation Home]]. A demo version was released on the PlayStation Store on October 2, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5048840/ps3-bioshock-demo-out-on-october-2 |title=PS3 BioShock Demo Out On October 2 |date=September 8, 2008 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |publisher=Kotaku |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018232136/http://kotaku.com/5048840/ps3-bioshock-demo-out-on-october-2 |archive-date=October 18, 2012 }}</ref>  An update for the PlayStation 3 version was released on November 13, 2008, to fix some graphical problems and occasions where users experienced a hang and were forced to reset the console. This update also incorporated the "Challenge Rooms" and "[[New Game Plus]]" features.<ref>{{cite web |last=Romano|first=Sal|date=November 13, 2008|url= https://www.gematsu.com/2008/11/bioshock-ps3-texture-update-now-live|title=BioShock PS3 Texture Update Now Live|website=Gematsu|access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref> BioShock was bundled with [[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]] as a double pack on PC and Xbox 360 on July 7, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shippin' Out July 5–11: The Bigs 2, Tales of Monkey Island|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shippin-out-july-5-11-the-bigs-2-tales-of-monkey-island/1100-6212885/ |publisher=Matthew Peters |work=[[GameSpot]] |date=July 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019114251/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shippin-out-july-5-11-the-bigs-2-tales-of-monkey-island/1100-6212885/ |archive-date=October 19, 2013}}</ref>

A port to [[OS X]] systems was made by [[Feral Interactive]] and released in October 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/2009/01/feral-interactive-supposedly-bringing-bioshock-to-the-mac/ |title=Feral Interactive supposedly bringing BioShock to the Mac |first=Justin |last=Berka |date=January 13, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[Ars Technica]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903110459/http://arstechnica.com/apple/2009/01/feral-interactive-supposedly-bringing-bioshock-to-the-mac/ |archive-date=September 3, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/bioshock-for-mac-on-october-7th |title=Bioshock for Mac on October 7 |access-date=November 12, 2009 |date=September 24, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026163841/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/bioshock-for-mac-on-october-7th |archive-date=October 26, 2009 }}</ref>

In early 2008, IG Fun secured the rights to develop and publish a [[mobile phone]] version of ''BioShock''.<ref name="mobilever">{{cite press release
 |url=http://wireless.ign.com/articles/851/851478p1.html
 |title=Mobile Gamers: Welcome to Rapture&nbsp;– IG Fun to Bring the Award Winning "BioShock" to Mobile
 |date=February 11, 2008
 |access-date=September 23, 2011
 |publisher=[[IG Fun]]
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403011441/http://wireless.ign.com/articles/851/851478p1.html
 |archive-date=April 3, 2012
}}</ref> This version was developed as a [[Top-down perspective|top-down]], two-dimensional [[platformer]] that attempted to recreate most of the plot and game elements of the original title; IG Fun worked with Irrational to determine the critical story elements they wanted to keep in the game.  IG Fun recognized they would not be able to include the full storyline within a single mobile title, and so planned to split the title into three "[[Episodic video game|episodes]]". Only the first episode was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/BioShock+%282D%29/news.asp?c=12293 |title=IG Fun explains how it brought the crumbling opulence of BioShock to mobile |first=Jon |last=Mundy |date=March 24, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[Pocket Gamer]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904004702/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/BioShock%2B%282D%29/news.asp?c=12293 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/BioShock+(2D)/review.asp?c=12247 |title=BioShock |first=Keith |last=Andrew |date=March 9, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[Pocket Gamer]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904004706/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/BioShock%2B%282D%29/review.asp?c=12247 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 }}</ref>

Another mobile port was developed by Tridev, known as ''BioShock 3D'', released in 2010. Several parts of the game were reduced to single image graphics and the main gameplay engine had to use low-resolution and low-[[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygon]] models due to the limitations of mobile phones at the time of its release.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/bioshock-mobile-game-2k-tridev-development | title = 2K Wanted BioShock on Phones, Here's How One Dev Team Pulled it Off | first = Issy | last = van der Velde | date = September 25, 2021 | access-date = September 25, 2021 | work = [[IGN]] | archive-date = October 20, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211020233500/https://www.ign.com/articles/bioshock-mobile-game-2k-tridev-development | url-status = live }}</ref>

A port to [[iOS]] devices done by the 2K China studio was released on August 27, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/473063/original-bioshock-coming-to-ios-devices-this-summer/ |title=Original BioShock coming to iOS devices this summer |first=Tom |last=Ivan |date=August 4, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |publisher=[[Computer and Video Games]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140806224758/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/473063/original-bioshock-coming-to-ios-devices-this-summer/ |archive-date=August 6, 2014 }}</ref> The iOS version is content complete and functionally equivalent to the original Xbox 360 and Windows version, featuring either the use of touch-screen virtual gamepad controls or the use of a Bluetooth-enabled controller, and with a graphics engine optimized for iOS devices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8440/a-look-at-bioshock-for-ios |title=A Look at Bioshock for iOS and How it Compares to its PC Counterpart |first=Brandon |last=Chester |date=August 28, 2014 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[Anandtech]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831042910/http://www.anandtech.com/show/8440/a-look-at-bioshock-for-ios |archive-date=August 31, 2014 }}</ref> The game was later delisted from the App Store in September 2015; the game had become unplayable for many that upgraded to iOS 8.4 on their devices, and while a patch had been discussed, a 2K representative stated that the decision to remove the game came from the developer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-24-bioshocks-iphone-ipad-port-no-longer-available |title=BioShock's iPhone/iPad port no longer available |date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=September 24, 2015 |publisher=[[Eurogamer]] |first=Tom |last=Philips |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924231929/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-24-bioshocks-iphone-ipad-port-no-longer-available |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}</ref> 2K later clarified that they will be working on resolving the issues with the game's compatibility with the new firmware and will re-release the title once that has been completed.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/09/24/bioshock-removal-from-ios-app-store-leaves-owners-out-in-the-cold.aspx |title=[Update] 2K Says BioShock Will Return To iOS App Store After It's Fixed |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=September 24, 2015 |first=Mike |last=Futter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926220958/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/09/24/bioshock-removal-from-ios-app-store-leaves-owners-out-in-the-cold.aspx |archive-date=September 26, 2015 }}</ref> However, by January 2017, 2K officially stated that it will no longer working to support the game's compatibility with newer iOS system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/2k-games-has-officially-dropped-support-for-the-ios-port-of-bioshock-415224.phtml |title=2K Games has officially dropped support for the iOS port of BioShock |first=Dennis |last=Carden |date=January 27, 2017 |access-date=January 28, 2017 |work=[[Destructoid]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128210356/https://www.destructoid.com/2k-games-has-officially-dropped-support-for-the-ios-port-of-bioshock-415224.phtml |archive-date=January 28, 2017 }}</ref>

==Reception==

===Critical response===
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC: 96/100<ref name="MCPC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bioshock/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=PC Critic Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|date=n.d.|accessdate=April 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416053016/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bioshock|archive-date=April 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><br />PS3: 94/100<ref name="MCPS3">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bioshock/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3|title=PlayStation 3 Critic Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|date=n.d.|access-date=April 9, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419111729/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/bioshock|archivedate=April 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><br />X360: 96/100<ref name="MCX360">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bioshock/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360|title=Xbox 360 Critic Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|date=n.d.|accessdate=April 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419090908/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/bioshock|archivedate=April 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><br />iOS: 68/100<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bioshock/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad|title=iOS (iPhone/iPad) Critic Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|date=n.d.|accessdate=August 17, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710133540/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/bioshock|archivedate=July 10, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
| 1UP = A+<ref name="1UP.com Review">{{cite web|last=Pfister|first=Andrew|url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/bioshock_3|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[1UP.com]]|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=August 16, 2007|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121210050948/http://www.1up.com/reviews/bioshock_3|archivedate=December 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| Destruct = 10/10<ref name="Destructoid Review">{{cite web|last=Linde|first=Aaron|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/destructoid-review-bioshock/|title=Destructoid review: Bioshock|website=[[Destructoid]]|date=August 17, 2007|accessdate=November 24, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125180108/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/destructoid-review-bioshock/|archivedate=November 25, 2021|url-status=live }}</ref>
| Edge = 8/10<ref name="Edge Magazine Review">{{cite web|author=Anon.|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/bioshock-review|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|date=October 15, 2007|accessdate=October 15, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604061754/http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/bioshock-review |archivedate=June 4, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| EuroG = 10/10<ref name="Eurogamer Review">{{cite web|last=Reed|first=Kristan|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/r-bioshock-pc360|title=Bioshock review|website=[[Eurogamer]]|pages=1–3|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=August 16, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622025907/https://www.eurogamer.net/r-bioshock-pc360|archivedate=June 22, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GI = 10/10<ref name="Game Informer Review">{{cite web|last=Reiner|first=Andrew|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/41497688-5BCB-4C0A-B952-A1B1440E2139.htm|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[Game Informer]]|date=n.d.|accessdate=August 16, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822013757/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/41497688-5BCB-4C0A-B952-A1B1440E2139.htm|archivedate=August 22, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GSpot = 9/10<ref name="GameSpot Review">{{cite web|last=Gerstmann|first=Jeff|authorlink=Jeff Gerstmann|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bioshock-review/1900-6176947/|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[Gamespot]]|date=August 20, 2007|access-date=August 20, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240916025642/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bioshock-review/1900-6176947/|archivedate=September 16, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpy = 5/5<ref name="GameSpy Review">{{cite web|last=Graziani|first=Gabe|url=http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/bioshock/813243p1.html|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[GameSpy]]|pages=1–3|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=November 25, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250210161036/http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/bioshock/813243p1.html|archivedate=February 10, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
| IGN = 9.7/10<ref name="IGN_2007-08-16"/>
| OXMUK = 10/10<ref name="OXMUK Review">{{cite web|last=Griliopoulos|first=Dan|url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=1182|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[Official Xbox Magazine]]|date=August 24, 2007|accessdate=May 26, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007024828/http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=1182|archivedate=October 7, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| PCGUK = 9.5/10<ref name="PC Gamer Review">{{cite web|last=Francis|first=Tom|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=169983|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[PC Gamer]]|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=August 1, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910141247/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=169983|archivedate=September 10, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| PCZone = 9.6/10<ref name="PC Zone Review">{{cite web|last=Hogarty|first=Steve|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=169992|title=Bioshock Review|website=[[PC Zone]]|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=November 4, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315114115/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=169992|archivedate=March 15, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| TA = 4/5<ref name="TouchArcade Review">{{cite web|last=Ford|first=Eric|url=https://toucharcade.com/2014/09/03/bioshock-review/|title='Bioshock' Review – Is An iOS Gamer Not Entitled To A Mobile Rapture?|date=September 3, 2014|website=[[TouchArcade]]|accessdate=August 17, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818052259/https://toucharcade.com/2014/09/03/bioshock-review/|archive-date=August 18, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
| award1 = [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction|Art Direction]], [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition|Original Music Composition]], [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design|Sound Design]], [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Story|Story Development]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/51219/aias-honors-call-of-duty |title=AIAS Honors Call of Duty 4, BioShock, The Orange Box in GOTY Awards |first=Chris |last=Faylor |date=February 8, 2008 |access-date=September 24, 2016 |work=[[Shacknews]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927161717/http://www.shacknews.com/article/51219/aias-honors-call-of-duty |archive-date=September 27, 2016 }}</ref>
| award1Pub = [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|AIAS]]
| award2 = (2007) Best Game
| award2Pub = [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]
| award3 = (2007) Game of the Year
| award3Pub = ''[[Game Informer]]''
| award4 = (2007) PC Game of the Year
| award4Pub = [[IGN]]
| award5 = (2007) Best Game
| award5Pub = [[Spike TV]]
| award6 = (2007) Game of the Year
| award6Pub = ''[[X-Play]]''
}}

''BioShock'' has received "universal acclaim", according to review aggregator [[Metacritic]], with the game receiving an average review score of 96/100 for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows, and 94/100 for PlayStation 3.<ref name="MCX360" /><ref name="MCPC" /><ref name="MCPS3" /> Mainstream press reviews have praised the immersive qualities of the game and its political dimension. ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' described it as "a beautiful, brutal, and disquieting computer game&nbsp;... one of the best in years",<ref name="bostonglobereview">{{cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/ae/games/articles/2007/08/27/bioshock_lets_users_take_on_fanaticism_through_fantasy/ |title=''BioShock'' lets users take on fanaticism through fantasy |work=The Boston Globe |date=August 27, 2007 |first=Hiawatha |last=Bray |access-date=November 9, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014004508/http://www.boston.com/ae/games/articles/2007/08/27/bioshock_lets_users_take_on_fanaticism_through_fantasy/ |archive-date=October 14, 2007 }}</ref> and compared the game to [[Whittaker Chambers]]' 1957 riposte to ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', "Big Sister Is Watching You". ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' also mentioned the Ayn Rand connection (a partial anagram of Andrew Ryan) in a report on the game which featured a brief interview with Levine.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/magazine/15-09/pl_games |title=''BioShock'' owes more to Ayn Rand than Doom |first=Kieron |last=Gillen |date=August 21, 2007 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=November 4, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709002750/http://www.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/magazine/15-09/pl_games |archive-date=July 9, 2008 }}</ref> The ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' review said "I never once thought anyone would be able to create an engaging and entertaining video game around the fiction and philosophy of Ayn Rand, but that is essentially what 2K Games has done&nbsp;... the rare, mature video game that succeeds in making you think while you play".<ref>{{cite news | title = BioShock |first = Misha | last = Davenport | date = August 24, 2007 | work = [[The Chicago Sun-Times]]}}</ref>

The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' review concluded: "Sure, it's fun to play, looks spectacular and is easy to control. But it also does something no other game has done to date: It really makes you feel."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.game.co.uk/News/?lid=8845&ad=12_03_2008 |title=Los Angeles Times review |access-date=June 10, 2008 |publisher=Game.co.uk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213022541/http://www.game.co.uk/News/?lid=8845&ad=12_03_2008 |archive-date=February 13, 2009 }}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reviewer described it as: "intelligent, gorgeous, occasionally frightening" and added: "Anchored by its provocative, morality-based story line, sumptuous art direction and superb voice acting, ''BioShock'' can also hold its head high among the best games ever made."<ref name="nytimesreport">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/arts/television/08shoc.html?ex=1346904000&en=f4891059b252959b&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |title=Genetics gone haywire and predatory children in an undersea metropolis |first=Seth |last=Schiesel |work=The New York Times|date=September 8, 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113181138/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/arts/television/08shoc.html?ex=1346904000&en=f4891059b252959b&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |archive-date=November 13, 2007 }}</ref>

[[GameSpy]] praised ''BioShock''{{'s}} "inescapable atmosphere",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/bioshock/813243p1.html |title=''BioShock'' (X360) |publisher=Gamespy |date=August 16, 2007 |first=Gabe |last=Granziani |access-date=August 17, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820072325/http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/bioshock/813243p1.html |archive-date=August 20, 2007 }}</ref> and ''[[Official Xbox Magazine]]'' lauded its "inconceivably great plot" and "stunning soundtrack and audio effects".<ref name="OXMUK Review"/> The gameplay and combat system have been praised for being smooth and open-ended,<ref name="IGN_2007-08-16"/><ref name="Game Informer Review"/> and elements of the graphics, such as the water, were commended for their quality.<ref name="IGN water">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ign.com/Irrational_Games/2007/05/23/55572/ |title=IGN first look at the Little Sisters |work=IGN |date=May 23, 2007 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103135013/http://blogs.ign.com/Irrational_Games/2007/05/23/55572/ |archive-date=November 3, 2007 }}</ref> It has been noted that the combination of the game's elements "straddles so many entertainment art forms so expertly that it's the best demonstration yet how flexible this medium can be. It's no longer just another shooter wrapped up in a pretty game engine, but a story that exists and unfolds inside the most convincing and elaborate and artistic game world ever conceived."<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/>
Reviewers did highlight a few negative issues in ''BioShock'', however. The recovery system involving "Vita-Chambers", which revive a defeated player at half-health, but do not alter the enemies' health, makes it possible to wear down enemies through sheer perseverance, and was criticized as one of the most significant flaws in the gameplay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=170293 |title=''BioShock'' Review |work=Computer And Video Games |agency=[[Xbox World|Xbox World 360]] |access-date=July 24, 2007 |date=August 16, 2007 |first=Alex |last=Dale |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315114522/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=170293 |archive-date=March 15, 2009 }}</ref> IGN noted that both the controls and graphics of the Xbox 360 version are inferior to those of the PC version, in that switching between weapons or plasmids is easier using the PC's mouse than the 360's radial menu, as well as the graphics being slightly better with higher resolutions.<ref name="IGN_2007-08-16"/> The game has been touted as a hybrid [[first-person shooter]], but two reviewers found advances from comparable games lacking, both in the protagonist and in the challenges he faces.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/21212 | title = ''Bioshock'' review | publisher = Yale Daily News | access-date = November 4, 2007 | date = September 7, 2007 | author = S.T. Hedgehog| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071211035626/http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/21212| archive-date = December 11, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/1394-Zero-Punctuation-BioShock |title=''BioShock'' review |work=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]] |first=Ben |last=Croshaw |date=September 5, 2007 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102132608/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/1394-Zero-Punctuation-BioShock |archive-date=November 2, 2007 }}</ref> Some reviewers also found the combat behavior of the splicers lacking in diversity (and their A.I. behavior not very well done),<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?page=gameportal&mode=reviews&id=552512
 |title=BioShock
 |publisher=mygamer.com
 |date=August 21, 2007
 |quote="Unfortunately, once the splicers become aware of the player, they almost invariably rush forward, heedless of their own mortality, right into the path of the player's plasmid powers and guns"
 |access-date=December 6, 2008
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208185137/http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?page=gameportal&mode=reviews&id=552512
 |archive-date=December 8, 2008
}}</ref> and the moral choice too much "black and white" to be interesting.<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Moke Dootitle
 |url=http://www.gamecritics.com/bioshock-review
 |title=BioShock&nbsp;– Review
 |publisher=gamecritics.com
 |date=July 12, 2007
 |quote="Sure, there are splicers that run around maniacally, crawl on the ceiling or teleport, but there is little to differentiate them aside from their theatrics(...)The game also presents a "moral" choice that feels promising early in the game, but ultimately falls into the cliché traps of black and white extremes"
 |access-date=December 6, 2008
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124223718/http://gamecritics.com/bioshock-review
 |archive-date=January 24, 2009
}}</ref> Some reviewers and essayists such as [[Jonathan Blow]] also opined that the "moral choice" the game offered to the player (saving or harvesting the little sisters) was flawed because, to them, it had no real impact on the game, which ultimately led them to think that the sisters were just mechanics of no real importance.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16392
 |title=MIGS 2007: Jonathan Blow On The 'WoW Drug', Meaningful Games
 |publisher=gamasutra.com
 |date=November 28, 2007
 |quote=Blow turned to ''BioShock'' as his example of flawed architecture (...) "The very idea of this save or kill dilemma is an architected idea imposed from the top", he explained (...) "The game rules determine the actual meaning of life in the game, and it says whatever you do to the Little Sisters doesn't matter, no matter how much the game tries to convince you that it does". The "Meta-message", according to Blow, is that "the designers of this game are trying to manipulate your emotions in a clumsy way".
 |access-date=December 21, 2008
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221122915/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16392
 |archive-date=December 21, 2008
}}</ref> Daniel Friedman for ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' concurred with Blow, noting that the player only loses 10% of the possible ADAM rewards for saving the Little Sisters rather than killing them, and felt that this would have been better instituted as part of the game difficulty mechanic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/9/19/12972940/bioshock-little-sisters-adam |title=BioShock bungled its best chance to make play meaningful |first=Daniel |last=Friedman |date=September 19, 2016 |access-date=September 21, 2016 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921023843/http://www.polygon.com/2016/9/19/12972940/bioshock-little-sisters-adam |archive-date=September 21, 2016 }}</ref> Former [[LucasArts]] developer [[Clint Hocking]] wrote a noted essay that claimed that ''BioShock'' exhibited "[[Ludonarrative#ludonarrative dissonance|ludonarrative dissonance]]" between its story and mechanics, as while he saw the story as advocating selflessness in helping others, its gameplay encourages what he views as selfishness by preying on Little Sisters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/ludonarrative-dissonance-the-roadblock-to-realism-235197.phtml |title=Ludonarrative dissonance: The roadblock to realism |first=Brett |last=Makedonski |date=September 26, 2012 |access-date=September 21, 2016 |work=[[Destructoid]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923014932/https://www.destructoid.com/ludonarrative-dissonance-the-roadblock-to-realism-235197.phtml |archive-date=September 23, 2016 }}</ref>

===Awards===
At [[E3 2006]], ''BioShock'' was given several  "Games of the Show" awards from various online gaming sites, including [[GameSpot]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6151435/p-28.html |title=E3 2006 Editors' Choice Awards |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=May 20, 2006 |publisher=Gamespot |author=Gamespot Staff |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030084554/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6151435/p-28.html |archive-date=October 30, 2007 }}</ref> [[IGN]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://games.ign.com/articles/709/709355p7.html |title=IGN's Overall Best of E3 2006 Awards |date=May 19, 2006 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |publisher=IGN |author=IGN Staff |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118205814/http://games.ign.com/articles/709/709355p7.html |archive-date=November 18, 2007 }}</ref> [[GameSpy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/709/709100p16.html |title=E3 2006 Best of Show |access-date=November 4, 2007 |date=May 18, 2006 |publisher=GameSpy |author=GameSpy Staff |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023064612/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/709/709100p16.html |archive-date=October 23, 2007 }}</ref> and [[GameTrailers]]'s Trailer of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/16075.html |title=GameTrailers Game of the Year 2006: Best Trailer |publisher=[[GameTrailers]] |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107021812/http://www.gametrailers.com/player/16075.html |archive-date=January 7, 2008 }}</ref> ''BioShock'' received an award for Best Xbox 360 Game at the 2007 Leipzig Games Convention.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2007/08/27/leipzig-games-convention-best-of-awards-announced |title=Leipzig Games Convention "Best of" Awards Announced |date=August 27, 2007 |access-date=November 4, 2007 |publisher=Digital Media Wire |first=Mark |last=Hefflinger |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190437/http://dmwmedia.com/news/2007/08/27/leipzig-games-convention-best-of-awards-announced |archive-date=March 3, 2016 }}</ref>  After the game's release, the 2007 ''[[Spike Video Game Awards|Spike TV Video Game Awards]]'' selected ''BioShock'' as ''Game of the Year'', ''Best Xbox 360 Game'', and ''Best Original Score'', and nominated it for four awards: ''Best Shooter'', ''Best Graphics'', ''Best PC Game'', and ''Best Soundtrack''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/107504/Bioshock_Wins_Spike_TV_Game_of_the_Year.php | title = Bioshock Wins Spike TV Game of the Year | first = David | last = Jenkins | date = December 10, 2007 | access-date = November 16, 2019 | work = [[Gamasutra]] | archive-date = November 21, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120305/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/107504/Bioshock_Wins_Spike_TV_Game_of_the_Year.php | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/08/bioshock-drowns-competition-at-2007-vgas/ |title=BioShock drowns competition at 2007 VGAs |publisher=Joystiq |date=December 8, 2007 |access-date=December 8, 2007 |first=James |last=Dobson |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212235556/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/08/bioshock-drowns-competition-at-2007-vgas/ |archive-date=December 12, 2007  }}</ref> The game also won the 2007 [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] "Best Game" award.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/bafta-bioshock-game-of-the-year-wii-sports-wins-most-awards/ |title=BAFTA: ''BioShock'' game of the year, Wii Sports wins most awards |date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=October 24, 2007 |publisher=Joystiq |first=Alexander |last=Sliwinski |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025051816/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/bafta-bioshock-game-of-the-year-wii-sports-wins-most-awards/ |archive-date=October 25, 2007  }}</ref> [[X-Play]] also selected it as "Game of the Year", "Best Original Soundtrack", "Best Writing/Story", and "Best Art Direction".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/arts/television/18game.html |title=BioShock Triumphs at TV Video Game Awards |work=The New York Times|first=Seth |last=Schielsel |date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210202554/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/arts/television/18game.html |archive-date=December 10, 2008 }}</ref> ''[[Game Informer]]'' named ''BioShock'' its Game of the Year for 2007.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/02/looking-back-at-25-years-of-game-informer-s-goty-awards.aspx|title=Check Out 25 Years Of Game Informer's GOTY Awards|first=Jeff|last=Marchiafava|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|date=January 2, 2017|access-date=November 16, 2019|archive-date=November 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120247/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/02/looking-back-at-25-years-of-game-informer-s-goty-awards.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

At [[IGN]]'s "Best of 2007" ''BioShock'' was nominated for Game of The Year 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/25.html |title=IGN Best of 2007: Overall Game of the Year |publisher=IGN |date=January 11, 2008 |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113203707/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/25.html |archive-date=January 13, 2008 }}</ref> and won the award for PC Game of the Year,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/pc/22.html |title=IGN Best of 2007: PC Game of the Year |publisher=IGN |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129133905/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/pc/22.html |archive-date=January 29, 2008 }}</ref> Best Artistic Design,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/13.html |title=IGN Best of 2007: Best Artistic Design |publisher=IGN |date=January 11, 2008 |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405014111/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/13.html |archive-date=April 5, 2008 }}</ref> and Best Use of Sound.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/16.html |title=IGN Best of 2007: Best Use of Sound |publisher=IGN |date=January 11, 2008 |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405151930/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/16.html |archive-date=April 5, 2008 }}</ref> [[GameSpy]] chose it as the third-best game of the year<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/overall/11.html |title=GameSpy's Overall Top Ten of 2007: #3 BioShock |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124152845/http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/overall/11.html |archive-date=January 24, 2008 }}</ref> and gave ''BioShock'' the awards for Best Sound, Story, and Art Direction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/special/29.html |title=GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007: Special Awards |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200206/http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/special/29.html |archive-date=October 29, 2013  }}</ref> [[GameSpot]] awarded the game for Best Story,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/best-of/specialachievement/index.html?page=5 |title=GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2007–Special Achievements: Best Story |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=January 27, 2008 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> while [[GamePro]] gave ''BioShock'' the Best Story, Xbox 360 and Best Single-Player Shooter awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/154431.shtml|title=GamePro's Editor's Choice 2007|date=December 27, 2007|access-date=January 27, 2008|publisher=[[GamePro]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231114627/http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/154431.shtml|archive-date=December 31, 2007}}</ref> ''BioShock'' won the "Best Visual Art", "Best Writing", and "Best Audio" awards at the 2008 [[Game Developers Choice Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6186460.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;3 |title=Portal BioShocks GDC Awards |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=February 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104224043/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6186460.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews%3Btitle%3B3 |archive-date=January 4, 2012  }}</ref> During the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|AIAS]]' [[11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]], ''BioShock'' received the most nominations of the ceremony with twelve, including notable categories such as "Outstanding Innovation in Gaming", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Action Game of the Year|Action Game of the Year]]", and "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Game of the Year|Overall Game of the Year]]"; it was ultimately awarded with outstanding achievement in "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction|Art Direction]]", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition|Original Music Composition]]", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design|Sound Design]]", and "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Story|Story Development]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2008&idGame=914 |title=D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details BioShock |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=19 July 2023 |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601135107/https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2008&idGame=914 |url-status=live }}</ref> Guinness World Records awarded the game a record for "Most Popular Xbox Live Demo" in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. ''BioShock'' is ranked first on ''Game Informer''{{'s}} list of The Top 10 Video Game Openings.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=The Top Ten Video Game Openings |url=https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-187-november-2008/page/38/mode/2up |access-date=2024-10-25 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |page=38 |issue=187|date=November 2008}}</ref> [[GamesRadar]] placed ''Bioshock'' as the 12th best game of all time.<ref>{{cite web|author=GamesRadar US & UK |date=March 31, 2011 |url=https://gamesradar.com/f/the-100-best-games-of-all-time/a-20110330182119708031/p-10 |title=The 100 best games of all time |page=10 |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |access-date=April 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811101010/http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-100-best-games-of-all-time/a-20110330182119708031/p-10 |archive-date=August 11, 2011 }}</ref> In 2011 ''BioShock'' was awarded the number 1 spot in GameTrailers' "Top 100 Video Game Trailers of All Time", for submerging the viewer into the ''BioShock'' universe and its enduring impact.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/users/GT100Trailers/gamepad/?action=viewblog&id=563203 |title=GameTrailers |access-date=July 19, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209101458/http://www.gametrailers.com/users/GT100Trailers/gamepad/?action=viewblog&id=563203 |archive-date=December 9, 2011 }}</ref> In August 2012, IGN gave it the top spot on their list of the Top 25 Modern PC Games, a ranking of the best PC games released since 2006.<ref name="The Top 25 Modern PC Games">{{cite news|title=The Top 25 Modern PC Games |url=https://ign.com/articles/2012/08/07/the-top-25-modern-pc-games-2?page=1 |work=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |date=August 6, 2012 |access-date=January 2, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916175948/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/07/the-top-25-modern-pc-games-2?page=1 |archive-date=September 16, 2014 }}</ref> In November 2012, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named it one of the 100 greatest video games of all time.<ref name="AccoTimeAllTime">{{cite magazine|title=All-Time 100 Video Games |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/all/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=November 15, 2012 |access-date=November 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116214206/http://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/all/ |archive-date=November 16, 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In July 2015, the game placed 9th on ''[[USgamer]]''{{'s}} The 15 Best Games Since 2000 list.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Parish|first1=Jeremy|title=The 15 Best Games Since 2000, Number 9: BioShock|url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-15-best-games-since-2000-number-9-bioshock|website=[[USgamer]]|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=July 30, 2015|date=July 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150730121127/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-15-best-games-since-2000-number-9-bioshock|archive-date=July 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Sales===
The Xbox 360 version was the third best-selling game of August 2007, with 490,900 copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178770.html |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |title=US August game-industry haul nearly $1B |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |date=September 14, 2007 |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318205927/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178770.html |archive-date=March 18, 2009 }}</ref> ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that shares in [[Take-Two Interactive]] "soared nearly 20%" in the week following overwhelmingly favorable early reviews of the game.<ref name="wsjpricehike">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB119024844874433247-EnpxM1F6fI9YZDofC7VnyPzVrGQ_20070920.html?mod=todays_free_feature |title=High Scores Matter To Game Makers, Too |first=Nick |last=Wingfield |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=September 20, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626144044/http://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB119024844874433247-EnpxM1F6fI9YZDofC7VnyPzVrGQ_20070920.html?mod=todays_free_feature |archive-date=June 26, 2015  }}</ref> Take-Two Interactive announced that by June 5, 2008, over 2.2 million copies of ''BioShock'' had been shipped.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://ir.take2games.com/External.File?t=2&item=g7rqBLVLuv81UAmrh20Mp1oXuhSOzyvNLw7b9gsFWOFEcjdXvnkuQsRd4z1F+6UjdeP00J7LAY65LCFFFXhNWg== |title=Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Strong Second Quarter Fiscal 2008 Financial Results |publisher=[[Take-Two Interactive]] |date=June 5, 2008 |access-date=June 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110100137/http://ir.take2games.com/External.File?t=2&item=g7rqBLVLuv81UAmrh20Mp1oXuhSOzyvNLw7b9gsFWOFEcjdXvnkuQsRd4z1F+6UjdeP00J7LAY65LCFFFXhNWg== |archive-date=January 10, 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In a June 10, 2008 interview, Roy Taylor, [[Nvidia]]'s VP of Content Business Development, stated that the PC version has sold over one million copies.<ref>{{cite web |author=Rob Fahey |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=148824&page=2 |title=NVIDIA's Roy Taylor |publisher=[[Eurogamer]] |date=June 10, 2008 |access-date=September 8, 2008 |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120250/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/nvidias-roy-taylor-interview?page=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Take-Two Interactive's chairman Strauss Zelnick, the game had sold around 3 million copies by June 2009.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Tom Ivan |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/take-two-targets-five-million-bioshock-2-sales |title=Take-Two Interactive Targets Five Million BioShock 2 Sales |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |date=June 18, 2009 |access-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101003165615/http://www.next-gen.biz/news/take-two-targets-five-million-bioshock-2-sales |archive-date=October 3, 2010  }}</ref> By March 2010, ''BioShock'' had sold 4 million copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.el33tonline.com/past/2010/3/4/original_bioshock_sells_4_million/ |title=Original Bioshock sells 4 million units, GTA IV tops 15 million |publisher=El33tonline |date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710175914/http://www.el33tonline.com/past/2010/3/4/original_bioshock_sells_4_million/ |archive-date=July 10, 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

===PC technical issues and DRM===
The initial Windows release was criticized by players for several perceived shortcomings. The game was shipped with [[SecuROM]] [[copy protection]] that required activation from 2K Games' servers over the Internet; the unavailability of these servers was reported as the reason for the cancellation of the game's midnight release in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6177330.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;0 |title=''Bioshock'' PC Launch Shortcircuts |date=August 23, 2007 |access-date=August 23, 2007 |first=Randolph |last=Ramsey |publisher=Gamespot |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014637/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6177330.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews%3Btitle%3B0 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> Players found that the SecuROM limited the number of times the game could be activated to two; user feedback led to 2K Games to increase the activation count to five,<ref name="maxconsole_user_act">{{cite web|url=http://www.maxconsole.net/archive/index.php/t-77804.html |title=2K: Tell your brother to buy his own Bioshock, you didn't buy it for the whole family |date=September 4, 2007 |publisher=maxconsole.net |access-date=November 12, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="neoseeker_user_act">{{cite web|url=https://neoseeker.com/news/story/7091/ |title=One copy of BioShock per family (member)? |publisher=Neoseeker |date=September 5, 2007 |access-date=November 12, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907180345/http://www.neoseeker.com/news/story/7091/ |archive-date=September 7, 2007 }}</ref> and later offer a tool that allowed users to revoke previous activations on their own.<ref name="revoketool">{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/support/revoketool/ |title=2K Revocation tool download page |date=November 3, 2007 |access-date=November 3, 2007 |publisher=Cult of Rapture |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724120803/http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/support/revoketool |archive-date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref> Ultimately 2K Games removed the activation limit, though retail versions of the game still required the activation process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53236 |title=2K Games Lifts BioShock PC Install Limit, DRM |publisher=[[Shacknews]] |first=Aaron |last=Linde |date=June 19, 2008 |access-date=June 19, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626224630/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53236 |archive-date=June 26, 2008 }}</ref> Levine admitted that their initial approach to the activation process was malformed, harming their reputation during the launch period.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/ |title=Joystiq interviews BioShock's Ken Levine about success and harvesting Little Sisters |first=Alexander |last=Sliwinski |date=August 24, 2007 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[Joystiq]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007170507/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/ |archive-date=October 7, 2014  }}</ref>

The SecuROM software also caused some [[virus scanner]]s and [[malware]] detector to believe the software was malicious. 2K Games assured players that the software installation process did not install any malicious code or [[rootkit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/securombioshock |title=The Cult of Rapture FAQ |date=August 23, 2007 |access-date=August 23, 2007 |publisher=Cult of Rapture |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228211113/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/securombioshock |archive-date=February 28, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamingbob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=300 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224110509/http://www.gamingbob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=300 | archive-date = December 24, 2008| title = ''BioShock'' Demo Installs SecuROM Service | date = August 23, 2007 | access-date = August 25, 2007 | url-status = usurped | publisher = GamingBOB.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070826-clearing-the-air-bioshock-does-not-contain-a-rootkit.html |title=Clearing the air: ''Bioshock'' does not contain a rootkit |publisher=Ars Technica |first=Ken |last=Fisher |date=August 26, 2007 |access-date=August 26, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831024753/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070826-clearing-the-air-bioshock-does-not-contain-a-rootkit.html |archive-date=August 31, 2007 }}</ref> However, players observed that some of the SecuROM software was not entirely removed on uninstallation of the game.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/77560-bioshock-controversies-continue |title=BioShock Controversies Continue |first=Joel |last=Durham |newspaper=[[ExtremeTech]] |date=August 27, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120054215/http://www.extremetech.com/computing/77560-bioshock-controversies-continue |archive-date=January 20, 2012 }}</ref>

Some of the graphic capabilities of ''BioShock'' were criticized by players. The initial release of the game was found to have [[Cropping (image)|cut off]] the top and bottom of the [[field of view]] in order to fit [[widescreen]] monitors, resulting in less vertical view instead of more horizontal view compared to [[Fullscreen (filmmaking)|4:3]] monitors,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=48555 |title=''BioShock'' Widescreen Slices Vertical View |date=August 21, 2007 |access-date=August 21, 2007 |publisher=Shacknews |first=Nick |last=Breckon |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235615/http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=48555 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }}</ref> conflicting with original reports from a developer on how widescreen would have been handled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=659 |title=How will the widescreen image be displayed? |publisher=2K Games Forum |access-date=August 21, 2007 |date=May 27, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823134331/http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=659 |archive-date=August 23, 2007 }}</ref> 2K Games later stated that the choice of the field of view was a design decision made during development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/truthwidescreen |title=The Truth About Widescreen |first=Elizabeth |last=Tobey |publisher=2K Games |date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=August 22, 2007 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228211117/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/truthwidescreen |archive-date=February 28, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/wider-is-better/bioshock-widescreen-+-the-sad-conclusion-292269.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930183533/http://kotaku.com/gaming/wider-is-better/bioshock-widescreen-%2B-the-sad-conclusion-292269.php |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |title=Wider Is Better: ''BioShock'' Widescreen |date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=August 22, 2007 |publisher=Kotaku |first=Mike |last=Fahey |url-status=dead }}</ref> Irrational included an option for "Horizontal FOV Lock" in the December 2007 patch that allows widescreen users a wider field of view, without cutting anything off the image vertically.<ref name="shacknews 2k patch news">{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48621 |title=Simultaneous Installgate 07: 2K Ups ''BioShock'' Install Limit, Plans FOV Adjustment Patch |first=Chris |last=Remo |publisher=Shacknews |date=August 23, 2007 |access-date=August 23, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006200258/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48621 |archive-date=October 6, 2007 }}</ref> ''BioShock'' was also criticized for not supporting [[pixel shader]] 2.0b video cards (such as the [[Radeon]] [[Radeon R420|X800]]/[[Radeon R420|X850]]), which were considered high-end graphics cards in 2004–2005, and accounted for about 24% of surveyed hardware collected through [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]'s Steam platform at the time of ''BioShock''{{'s}} release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/journals/hardware.ars/2007/08/23/no-bioshock-rapture-in-sight-for-ati-x800x850-users |title=No ''Bioshock'' Rapture in sight for ATI X800/X850 users |date=August 23, 2007 |access-date=September 26, 2007 |publisher=Ars Technica |last=Hruska |first=Joel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011154949/http://arstechnica.com/journals/hardware.ars/2007/08/23/no-bioshock-rapture-in-sight-for-ati-x800x850-users |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref>

{{Clear}}

==Legacy==
''BioShock'' has received praise for its artistic style and compelling storytelling. In their book, ''Digital Culture: Understanding New Media'', Glen Creeber and Royston Martin perform a case study of ''BioShock'' as a critical analysis of [[Video games as an art form|video games as an artistic medium]]. They praised the game for its visuals, sound, and ability to engage the player into the story. They viewed ''BioShock'' as a sign of the "coming of age" of video games as an artistic medium.<ref>{{cite book|last=Creeber|first=Martin|title=Digital Culture: Understanding New Media|year=2008|publisher=Open University Press|isbn=978-0-335-22197-4}}</ref> John Lanchester of the ''[[London Review of Books]]'' recognized ''BioShock'' as one of the first video games to break into coverage of mainstream media to be covered as a work of art arising from its narrative aspects, whereas before video games had failed to enter into the "cultural discourse", or otherwise covered due to moral controversies they created.<ref name="John 18–20"/> Peter Suderman for ''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' in 2016 wrote that ''BioShock'' was the first game that demonstrated that video games could be a work of art, particularly highlighting that the game plays on the theme of giving the illusion of individual control.<ref name="vox sept2016"/>

In February 2011, the [[Smithsonian Institution]] announced it would hold an exhibit dedicated to the art of video games.<ref>{{cite web|title=Exhibitions: The Art of Video Games |url=http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/ |publisher=Smithsonian American Art Museum |access-date=February 21, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110015838/http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/ |archive-date=January 10, 2011 }}</ref> Several games were chosen by the Smithsonian's curators; when the public voted for additional games they felt deserved to be included in the exhibition, ''BioShock'' was among the winners.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Art of Video Games |url=https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/games |publisher=Smithsonian American Art Museum |access-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=September 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901125429/http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{anchor|Would you kindly}}
The game's plot twist, where the player discovers that the player-character Jack has been coerced into events by the trigger phrase, "Would you kindly...", is considered one of the strongest narrative elements of video games to that point, in part that it subverted the expectation that the player has control and influence on the game.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.vice.com/en/article/would-you-kindly-read-this-article-on-gamings-greatest-plot-twist-915/ | title = Would You Kindly Read This Article on Gaming's Greatest Plot Twist? | first = Mike | last = Diver | date = February 23, 2015 | access-date = October 18, 2017 | work = [[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171019060137/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/exqb7p/would-you-kindly-read-this-article-on-gamings-greatest-plot-twist-915 | archive-date = October 19, 2017 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.avclub.com/choosing-the-impossible-did-bioshock-define-the-last-1-1798346366 | title = Choosing the impossible: Did BioShock define the last 10 years of video games? | author1 = Gerardi, Matt |author2=Barsanti, Sam |author3=Hughes, William |author4=Purdom, Clayton | date = August 21, 2017 | access-date = October 18, 2017 | work = [[The A.V. Club]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171019055540/https://games.avclub.com/choosing-the-impossible-did-bioshock-define-the-last-1-1798346366 | archive-date = October 19, 2017 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/09/bioshock-remastered/501809/ | title = How BioShock Mocked Video-Game Morality | first = David | last = Sims | date = September 27, 2016 | access-date = October 18, 2017 | work = [[The Atlantic]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171019060424/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/09/bioshock-remastered/501809/ | archive-date = October 19, 2017 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref>  In homage to ''BioShock'', ''[[Black Mirror]]''{{'s}} video game-centric episode "[[Playtest (Black Mirror)|Playtest]]" includes the phrase.<ref name="rs ref">{{cite magazine | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/black-mirror-playtest-horrific-take-on-hololens-gaming-w446236 | title = 'Black Mirror': 'Playtest' Episode Is Horrific Take on HoloLens, Gaming | first = Rachel | last = Weber | date = October 21, 2016 | access-date = October 15, 2017 | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171016070225/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/black-mirror-playtest-horrific-take-on-hololens-gaming-w446236 | archive-date = October 16, 2017 | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

A sequel, ''[[BioShock 2]],'' was announced in 2008, with its development led by [[2K Marin]]. Levine stated that Irrational (then 2K Boston) was not involved in the game's sequel because they wanted to "swing for the fences" and try to come up with something "very, very different", which was later revealed as ''BioShock Infinite''.<ref name="Interview: Ken Levine">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ken-levine-part-one |title=Interview: Ken Levine – Part One |publisher=GamesIndustry.biz |date=August 5, 2008 |access-date=August 5, 2008 |first=Phil |last=Elliott |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808053320/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ken-levine-part-one |archive-date=August 8, 2008 }}</ref> ''BioShock 3'' was also announced, with its release assumed to likely coincide with the ''BioShock'' film.<ref name="Bioshock 3 Announced">{{cite web |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/879/879727p1.html |title=BioShock 3 Announced |publisher=IGN |date=June 5, 2008 |access-date=June 5, 2008 |first=Ryan |last=Geddes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607135953/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/879/879727p1.html |archive-date=June 7, 2008 }}</ref> ''BioShock 2'' takes place about ten years following the events of the first game. The player assumes the role of Subject Delta, a precursor of the Big Daddies who must search the fallen city of Rapture for his former Little Sister, Eleanor. ''BioShock 2'' was released for Windows PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3 worldwide on February 9, 2010.

While ''[[BioShock Infinite]]'', developed by Irrational Games and released in 2013, shares the name and many similar gameplay concepts with ''BioShock'', the title is not a sequel or prequel of the original story, but instead takes place aboard the collapsing [[Floating cities and islands in fiction|air-city]] of Columbia in the year 1912. It follows former [[Pinkerton National Detective Agency|Pinkerton]] agent Booker DeWitt as he attempts to rescue a young woman, Elizabeth, from the angelic tower in which her father has imprisoned her.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/08/bioshock-infinite/ |title=First Look: BioShock Infinite Satirizes American Imperialism, in the Sky |first=Olivia |last=Koski |date=August 12, 2010 |access-date=September 23, 2011 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821114854/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/08/bioshock-infinite/ |archive-date=August 21, 2011 }}</ref> ''Infinite'' involves the possibilities of multiple universes. In one scene, the game take place at the lighthouse and bathysphere terminus of Rapture as part of this exploration. However, no direct canonical connection is given in the main game.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/03/27/an-attempt-to-understand-bioshock-infinites-brilliant-and-bizarre-ending |title=An Attempt to Understand BioShock Infinite's Brilliant and Bizarre Ending |first=Paul |last=Tassi |date=March 27, 2013 |access-date=March 28, 2013 |work=[[Forbes]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329203638/http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/03/27/an-attempt-to-understand-bioshock-infinites-brilliant-and-bizarre-ending/ |archive-date=March 29, 2013  }}</ref> The episodic expansion, ''[[BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea|Burial at Sea]]'', takes place in Rapture in 1959, before the war between Atlas and Ryan, while continuing the story of Booker and Elizabeth. This content links the two stories while providing expansion on the causes and behind-the-scenes events alluded to by the in-game background from ''BioShock''.

After completing ''BioShock Infinite'' and its expansion, Levine announced that he was restructuring Irrational Games to focus on smaller, narrative-driven titles. 2K Games continues to hold on to the ''BioShock'' intellectual property and plans to continue to develop games in this series, considering the framework set by Levine and his team as a "rich creative canvas" for more stories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-universe-a-rich-creative-canvas-for-many-new-stories/1100-6417894/ |title=BioShock universe a "rich creative canvas" for many new stories |first=Eddie |last=Makuch |date=February 21, 2014 |access-date=August 29, 2014 |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404130354/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-universe-a-rich-creative-canvas-for-many-new-stories/1100-6417894/ |archive-date=April 4, 2014 }}</ref>

== Remastered edition ==
{{main|BioShock: The Collection|l1=''BioShock: The Collection''}}

''BioShock'' was remastered to support [[1080p]] and higher framerates as part of the 2016 ''[[BioShock: The Collection]]'' release for Windows, [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Xbox One]] systems. The remastering was performed by [[Blind Squirrel Games]] and published by 2K Games. A standalone version of ''BioShock Remastered'' was released for macOS by Feral Interactive on August 22, 2017.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Broussard|first1=Mitchel|url=https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/22/bioshock-remastered-macos/|website=MacRumors|title='BioShock Remastered' Launches for macOS Computers on Steam, Mac App Store Coming Soon|date=August 22, 2017 |access-date=September 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052416/https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/22/bioshock-remastered-macos/|archive-date=September 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The standalone version of the remastered version of ''BioShock'' along with ''The Collection'' were released on May 29, 2020, on the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/nintendo/2020/3/26/21195331/nintendo-switch-direct-mini-release-date-announcements-bioshock-borderlands | title = BioShock, Borderlands games coming to Nintendo Switch in May | first = Nicole | last = Carpenter | date = March 26, 2020 | access-date = March 26, 2020 | work = [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] | archive-date = November 21, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201121120249/https://www.polygon.com/nintendo/2020/3/26/21195331/nintendo-switch-direct-mini-release-date-announcements-bioshock-borderlands | url-status = live }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of underwater science fiction works]]
* [[Ludonarrative dissonance]]—a term coined to describe conflict between narrative aspects of BioShock's story and gameplay

==References==
; Notes
{{notelist}}

; Footnotes
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''BioShock: Rapture'', by John Shirley (2011), {{ISBN|0-7653-2484-9}},

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website|https://2k.com/games/bioshock/bioshock-1/}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070315000000*/http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/home.html The Cult of Rapture] (archive)
* {{MobyGames|id=/bioshock}}
* {{IMDb title|id=1094581|title=BioShock}}

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