Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has provided an update on several major projects, including the long-awaited BioShock 4, which he insists is not cancelled despite years of silence. In a wide-ranging interview with Game File, Zelnick also addressed the disappointing reception of Civilization 7 and the delayed Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4.
BioShock 4 Development Challenges
BioShock 4 was announced in 2019 as the debut title for new studio Cloud Chamber, but has yet to be shown publicly. Rumors have swirled about development troubles, including reports that the project underwent a significant overhaul and that Cloud Chamber faced lay-offs. Last year, Take-Two confirmed that former Gears of War and Diablo boss Rod Fergusson was brought in to lead development.
Zelnick admitted being 'disappointed' with how long the game has taken, but stressed that modern AAA development has ballooned in scope. 'We wasted a lot of time and money chasing down some creative alleys that turned out to be dead ends,' he said. However, he expressed optimism about the current state of the project, stating he is 'feeling a lot better' about it now, though he declined to provide specifics.
Civilization 7 Criticism
Civilization 7, released last year, faced backlash for being overly streamlined, lacking content, and introducing fixed ages that force soft resets. Zelnick took responsibility for the missteps, saying, 'Every time there’s a new Civilization, the team at Firaxis thinks about how to push the envelope far enough that it makes sense to buy this new game. And we got it wrong with Civilization 7, but it wasn’t for want of trying.' He noted that fixes have been implemented and that the game remains profitable, but acknowledged the changes were 'a bridge too far from the consumer’s perspective.'
Borderlands 4 Switch 2 Port
Regarding the indefinite delay of Borderlands 4 on Nintendo Switch 2, Zelnick clarified that the postponement is not due to technical issues with that version. Instead, the team is prioritizing fixes for the PC version, which launched with problems. 'We’ve been addressing those challenges, and we want to make sure that we’ve fully addressed Borderlands 4 from a consumer’s point of view before we bring it to more platforms,' he said. He confirmed the Switch 2 port is 'doable' and will not be abandoned.
