NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--2K Games announced today that BioShock® Infinite, a first-person shooter, is currently in development at Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock® which has sold over 4 million units worldwide. Set in 1912, BioShock Infinite introduces an entirely new narrative experience that lifts players out of the familiar confines of Rapture and rockets them to Columbia, an immense city in the sky. BioShock Infinite is currently planned for release during calendar 2012.

Originally conceived as a floating symbol of American ideals at a time
when the United States was emerging as a world power, Columbia is
dispatched to distant shores with great fanfare by a captivated public.
What begins as a brand new endeavor of hope turns drastically wrong as
the city soon disappears into the clouds to whereabouts unknown.

The player assumes the role of former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt,
sent to the lost city to rescue Elizabeth, a young woman imprisoned
there since childhood. He develops a relationship with Elizabeth,
augmenting his abilities with hers so the pair may escape from a city
that is literally falling from the sky. DeWitt must learn to fight foes
in high-speed Sky-Line battles, engage in combat both indoors and
amongst the clouds, and harness the power of dozens of new weapons and
abilities.

"We are excited to expand the world of BioShock, which is
one of the industry's most critically acclaimed and beloved franchises,"
said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "We believe that Irrational
Games will lend their meticulous attention to detail and unique
storytelling expertise to make BioShock Infinite an
incredible entertainment experience that will immerse new and diehard
fans of BioShock alike."

With the original BioShock, Irrational Games won "Game of
the Year" awards from Game Informer, IGN, G4's X-Play, and BAFTA and
redefined what players expect from a first-person shooter. "But when it
came to begin work on BioShock Infinite," said Ken Levine,
creative director of Irrational Games, "we only had one rule: No sacred
cows. This game is both true to what people love about the series and
unafraid to question every assumption."

Levine continued, "In order to explore the floating city of Columbia, we
needed an entirely new engine. To bring Elizabeth to life, we had to
build brand-new animation and AI systems. To create wide-ranging indoor
and outdoor firefights at 30,000 feet, we had to rethink, rebuild and
expand the BioShock arsenal. The only thing gamers can be
certain of is this: the rules of the BioShock universe are
about to change."