Five years after Cloud Chamber Games confirmed they were developing the next BioShock game, the big reveal has been relatively silent. However, a possible first glimpse of BioShock 4 might have just slipped out via unofficial channels.

MP1st reports acquiring a screenshot believed to be from BioShock 4, courtesy of an anonymous 2K visual effects artist. Notably, the snapshot contains the name 'Parkside', previously rumored to be the clandestine title under which the game is being developed. Hypothesized to have originated from a 2021 demo copy, the image reveals our protagonist wielding the Ricochet Shotgun weapon.

Evidence in the snapshot indicates the character will hold a maximum of three weapons. Symbols dispersed on the left side of the user interface possibly signify abilities that are expected to operate on cooldowns compared to the previous Plasma and Vigor meters from earlier BioShock games. The icons of an hourglass and stopwatch may hint at the character's time-based capabilities.

It's prudent to remember that if the image does truly originate from an early version of the game from around three years ago, numerous elements may have evolved since then.

Past rumors suggest that BioShock 4 will be set in a 1960s Antarctic city dubbed Borealis. Recently, Cloud Chamber Games announced hiring for multiple positions as they continue scaling up the game's development progress.