Game · in order
BioShock Games in Order
There are three BioShock games. Play them in release order: BioShock (2007), BioShock 2 (2010), then BioShock Infinite (2013) — that is the best recommended order for newcomers. Note that by in-game setting the chronology is different, since BioShock Infinite takes place in 1912, before the two Rapture games.
BioShock Games in Order — complete list
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Why this order?
BioShock is a trilogy of first-person shooters wrapped around objectivist philosophy, eerie retro-futurist atmosphere, and twist endings you don't see coming. The good news for newcomers: with only three games, the recommended order is simple. Play them in release order — BioShock (2007), BioShock 2 (2010), then BioShock Infinite (2013). That is the order most players should follow, because Infinite's mind-bending payoff lands hardest after you already know Rapture.
The first two games, BioShock and BioShock 2, are both set in Rapture, the decaying underwater city built by industrialist Andrew Ryan. In setting, BioShock takes place in 1960 and BioShock 2 in 1968, roughly a decade after the original, and casts you as a Big Daddy — so playing the original first gives that role its full weight. The gameplay, the Little Sisters, the plasmids, and the moral choices all build directly on what the first game established.
BioShock Infinite (2013) breaks away to the floating sky-city of Columbia and stars new characters, Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth. Here is the franchise's key gotcha: although Infinite was released last, its main story is set in 1912 — making it chronologically the earliest of the three. So release order and setting chronology genuinely diverge. By setting, the order is BioShock Infinite (1912), then BioShock (1960), then BioShock 2 (1968). Despite that, release order is still the better way to experience the series for the first time, because Infinite leans thematically on ideas the Rapture games set up.
It is worth being precise about the connective tissue: Infinite's "Burial at Sea" DLC ties Columbia back to Rapture, but that DLC is set in 1958 — the night Rapture falls, before BioShock 1 in 1960. So the DLC bridges the two worlds rather than placing Infinite chronologically after them. The eerie 1960s aesthetic describes the Rapture games specifically (1960 and 1968); Infinite trades that for a 1912 Americana sky-city, so think of the trilogy's atmosphere as related but not identical.
If you enjoy this kind of atmospheric, narrative-driven shooter, the spiritual successors are worth knowing by name: the Prey reboot and the System Shock lineage share BioShock's DNA. A new, unannounced BioShock is also in development at 2K's Cloud Chamber studio.
Timeline 2007–2013
Every entry plotted by release year — see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
How many BioShock games are there?
There are three main BioShock games: BioShock (2007), BioShock 2 (2010), and BioShock Infinite (2013). A new, unannounced entry is in development at 2K's Cloud Chamber studio.
What order should I play BioShock in?
Play in release order: BioShock, then BioShock 2, then BioShock Infinite. This is the recommended order for newcomers because Infinite's twists land hardest after the Rapture games. Note that this is not the chronological order by setting — Infinite is set in 1912, before both Rapture games.
Do I need to play BioShock 1 before BioShock 2?
It's strongly recommended. BioShock 2 is set in the same underwater city of Rapture about a decade later and casts you as a Big Daddy, so the original gives that role its full emotional weight.
Can I start with BioShock Infinite?
You can — it stars new characters in the sky-city of Columbia and stands on its own. But its themes and its 'Burial at Sea' DLC connect back to Rapture, so it lands harder after the first two games.
Are the BioShock games connected?
Yes. BioShock and BioShock 2 share the city of Rapture, while BioShock Infinite is thematically linked and tied to Rapture through its 'Burial at Sea' DLC, which is set in 1958 — the night Rapture falls.
Is BioShock Infinite chronologically first or last?
By in-game setting, Infinite is chronologically the earliest of the three: its main story takes place in 1912, while BioShock is set in 1960 and BioShock 2 in 1968. It was, however, the last of the three to be released (2013).
Is there a way to buy all three games together?
Yes. BioShock: The Collection bundles all three games with their DLC, remastered, and is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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