Bioshock 2 to be sans subtitle, 'Sea of Dreams' was title of trailer
A brief recap of the comedy of errors surrounding the suspected subtitle for Bioshock 2 -- developer 2K Marin revealed the Sea of Dreams moniker in the sequel's debut trailer, then confirmed that it had dropped the subtitle last month, then de-confirmed that confirmation a week later, then suggested it doesn't know what its own game is called during GDC. However, 2K's Charlie Sinhaseni might have just told IGN the (hopefully) final word on the matter -- according to him, the game will simply be called Bioshock 2: Electric Boogaloo. No, wait -- just Bioshock 2.
Sinhaseni explained the confusion -- 2K apparently gives titles to all its trailers, and the teaser for the sequel (which appeared in the PS3 version of Bioshock the First) was titled (you guessed it) Sea of Dreams. The developers considered making it an official subtitle to the game, but have ultimately decided to follow the "title + number" format that's worked so well for Madden throughout the years. We hope this is the last chapter in this confusing saga, though it doesn't really matter. An aquatic, morally ambiguous FPS/RPG by any other name would smell just as sweet.
Sinhaseni explained the confusion -- 2K apparently gives titles to all its trailers, and the teaser for the sequel (which appeared in the PS3 version of Bioshock the First) was titled (you guessed it) Sea of Dreams. The developers considered making it an official subtitle to the game, but have ultimately decided to follow the "title + number" format that's worked so well for Madden throughout the years. We hope this is the last chapter in this confusing saga, though it doesn't really matter. An aquatic, morally ambiguous FPS/RPG by any other name would smell just as sweet.














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hace @ Apr 4th 2009 2:09PM
The only thing that's a dream about this game so far is when it's going to make it's fucking mind.
Markez @ Apr 4th 2009 2:12PM
Hopefully it won't get as bad as Madden, Griff, but put a pretty comical image in my mind. BioShock 2009, and then you could have a Big Daddy on the cover or something.
Has any other game received as much press just based off of what the game will end up being called? That ODST nonsense comes to mind, but that's about it.
In which case maybe Bioshock 2 could try UDNS, Underwater Daddy Nut Shooters? I still can't get that NUTSHOT! picture from that post the other day outta my head.
Hace @ Apr 4th 2009 2:16PM
Yeah, but if you put Big Daddy on the cover like that, his stats this season are going to plummet.
HitNRun @ Apr 4th 2009 3:42PM
Even "ODST" was a problem with trying to communicate a coherent plot point.
This looks like the result of one of those marketing department knife-fights where one team says it's vital to call it "Bioshock 2" to take advantage of the branding and the other side says it should be subtitled instead to encourage new players.
meth0dical @ Apr 5th 2009 1:22AM
actually Hace, the madden curse involves the cover man getting injured in the following season...
c0bra95 @ Apr 4th 2009 2:15PM
Oh, bullcrap. They came up with "Sea of Dreams", thinking it would be a cool name; then they realized it has nothing to do with the game that emerged, and tried to back out quietly. "What? 'Sea of Dreams.' We never said that! . . . Er, OK we did, but we didn't mean it . . ."
Happy_man @ Apr 4th 2009 2:15PM
But I like the sea of dreams subtitle. :(
ChronicTC7 @ Apr 5th 2009 3:08PM
I think sea of dreams sounds really cool aswell...
BLee @ Apr 4th 2009 2:21PM
man.. now the game wont be as good... right? no?... uh..
FatalChaos @ Apr 4th 2009 2:33PM
I wonder if they'll decide to keep or toss the butterfly as well. I rather liked the title "Sea of Dreams" it was fitting.
Markez @ Apr 4th 2009 2:37PM
They've been debating about replacing the blue butterfly with a red lemur, it's been all over CNN.
Sly (PSN slycooper_rocker) @ Apr 4th 2009 2:59PM
i never noticed the butterfly until now. strange.
Saria the Cat @ Apr 4th 2009 2:48PM
Blergh, I'd rather have a subtitle than a big, fat, ugly 2. I have my doubts about this Bioshock even being a real successor to the glorious first.
FatalChaos @ Apr 4th 2009 11:36PM
Despite the 4 or 5 name changes I still have faith it will be a good sequel. Though is anything ever better than the first?
Sly (PSN slycooper_rocker) @ Apr 4th 2009 11:43PM
@ FatalChaos
MGS4... toy story 2... arguably, the godfather II
FatalChaos @ Apr 4th 2009 11:52PM
@ Sly
Only played MGS4 so can't compare it to any others, I liked the first Toy Story better and didn't watch any of the God Father flicks. I am sure there's plenty of things that are better than the first but when it comes to games i've played it's hardly the case.
JS Beckerist @ Apr 6th 2009 1:20PM
Halo. And before you say "Halo 1 was better omfgz" I suggest you pop that disk back in and take it for one more go-around. There's a reason I don't play games like Doom 1, Quake 1, COD 1, Gears 1....anymore (or, at the very least, rarely.) Leave those fun memories alone, for nostalgic sake!
Tarheel @ Apr 4th 2009 2:52PM
So are there any other trailers for 2K games (or any developer for that matter) that have the name of the trailer right below the name of the game? I just took a quick visit to Gametrailers.com and none of the original Bioshock trailers seem to do this (unless the name of the trailer was www.bioschockgame.com).
Sounds like spin, but I'm baffled as to why. Just say you've changed your mind and decided to just call it Bioshock 2.
j.howlett @ Apr 4th 2009 10:42PM
all the gtaiv trailers had titles, i don't recall if they showed up under the name on a title screen though
L3thal Interjection (XBL: BR41N4TT4Q) @ Apr 4th 2009 3:13PM
The title would work for me. Rapture was supposed to be an idealistic society but was transformed into hell. The rusty, barnacle-crusted title with a faded, barely visible subtitle in black beneath reflects that nicely.
J-Link @ Apr 4th 2009 3:15PM
Make up you mind already! They should've just kept it as sea of dreams,better than just another game with a number behind it.
ZeroCorpse @ Apr 4th 2009 3:18PM
Bioshock 2: Bioshockier
Hyams @ Apr 4th 2009 4:08PM
Hey, that was my joke. ='(
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/23/bioshock-2-not-waiving-sea-of-dreams-subtitle/comments/17836847/
Great Golem+ @ Apr 4th 2009 4:31PM
Seems that Bioschmuck stole it right from under your nose...
Vegnagun bwf @ Apr 4th 2009 4:43PM
He's just Biosharing the jokes. Don't Blameshock him.
Game_playa @ Apr 4th 2009 5:05PM
Hopefully I can play this with my DualShock
Hyams @ Apr 5th 2009 8:11AM
Biopuns are fun. ^_^
Ethan @ Apr 5th 2009 12:18PM
I grew something to put on my foot. I call is a Biosock.
ZeroCorpse @ Apr 6th 2009 11:23AM
I guess we think alike.
...
Everyone should be worried.
frinetik @ Apr 4th 2009 3:38PM
The relevance of this revelation overwhelms me.
tboy123 @ Apr 4th 2009 3:57PM
...Can they just make up their minds? I am beginning to think they are doing this just for publicity.
Either way they decide to name it, it is worth a rent. I don't see it being as good as the first and I hope they don't mess it up...
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Apr 4th 2009 3:57PM
If you guys are paid per post on this I would like to submit an application for employment. I will exclusively cover Bioshock 2 title changes.
Vegnagun bwf @ Apr 4th 2009 4:42PM
Happy to see that the ridiculous Sea of Dream subtitle has been shot down a second time.
Teabag @ Apr 4th 2009 4:49PM
What the hell. Seriously? It doesn't put across a good impression, to be honest. This could loose a bit of confidence from some players. Sure, putting a title to a game is hard for the devs, but please keep it internal.
I liked the sub, really. Gives the game a bit more character and kind of sets the atmosphere. Maybe 2K should put up a user poll, like they did for the LE for the first one. Let us decide. I am sure the subtitle will stick then.
WRE @ Apr 4th 2009 4:58PM
I want a Bioshock rhythm game called Bioshock Jock.
warioman64 @ Apr 4th 2009 5:52PM
I don't like the 2. Why not just call it "Bioshock: Sea of Dreams"
kentuckyfried @ Apr 4th 2009 10:44PM
I like that too. Numbers on sequels is always boring.
Diskoboy7 @ Apr 4th 2009 7:07PM
I don't give a rat-ass if they call it "Underwater Art Deco Shooter, Part 2".
I want me some Bioshock 2...
Mickey @ Apr 4th 2009 7:49PM
Sea of Dreams was a creative sub title. I always think just sticking a number 2 on the end for a sequal is a lazy cop out.
Courtney @ Apr 5th 2009 1:18AM
That's because 2K Marin stocked up on Marketing plasmids. Blogs are but their puppets with the power of the plasmids behind them.
Kymero @ Apr 5th 2009 4:42AM
When I first heard Sea of Dreams I felt that it was way to cheesy,but it actually sounds pretty good now. Kinda sad that this is being removed but they'll probably just change it back to weeks later.
Kymero @ Apr 5th 2009 4:43AM
*two
Ethan @ Apr 5th 2009 7:57AM
Bio2hock (no)
Razorlution @ Apr 5th 2009 7:08PM
Personally a prequel with the subtitle Bioshock: The Rise of Rapture would have been a better game idea
bigd7387 @ Apr 6th 2009 1:35PM
As long as the games good I don't care what they call it.