A man chooses. A slave obeys. A gamer buys remastered versions of games they already own.
2K today announced that the rumored BioShock collection is real. It will come out on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The bundle includes the original BioShock, BioShock 2, BioShock: Infinite, and all of the single-player downloadable content released for the games. They will all run in 1080p and at 60 frames per second.
Collections like these have become common in the industry, with the likes of Halo and Uncharted also seeing old games grouped together with graphical upgrades for the newer systems. Some, like Dishonored and Tomb Raider, release in standalone “definitive editions.” Remastering old games has become a big business in the industry. At first, many thought the trend would die off once the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One became more established and developed larger libraries of new games. Those systems came out in 2013, and we’re still seeing announcements for more collections and remasters.
2K noted that the bundle will not come with BioShock 2’s multiplayer mode, which few will consider a big loss. Also, for the PC version, BioShock: Infinite won’t be remastered for that platform, since it already runs well on high settings. The collection will come with new video commentary from BioShock director Ken Levine and animation director Shawn Robertson.
The original BioShock, which came out back in 2007, is already a classic. It set a new standard for atmosphere in gaming with its creepy underwater city, Rapture. 2010’s BioShock 2, which had the same setting, wasn’t as groundbreaking as the original, but still offered a fun campaign. BioShock: Infinite, released in 2013, went from the sea to the sky with the floating city of Columbia.