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For a first playthrough, use this order: BioShock, BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den (optional), BioShock Infinite, Burial at Sea – Episode One, then Burial at Sea – Episode Two. That sequence preserves the games’ original reveal order while keeping each two-part add-on together. It is the clearest way to experience the series without turning its cross-game connections into spoilers.
A broad setting-based chronology starts with Infinite, not BioShock, because Columbia’s main story is set in 1912. However, the fictional timeline is not a perfectly dated, linear chain, so chronology is best treated as a second-play option rather than the default for newcomers.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioShock | Starting the first playthrough | Original release: Aug. 21, 2007 (Steam franchise listing) | Oct 2026 |
| BioShock 2 | Continuing the main-game story | Original release: Feb. 9, 2010 (Take-Two historical schedule) | Oct 2026 |
| Minerva’s Den | Adding BioShock 2’s optional story | Self-contained BioShock 2-era campaign; original launch day not established here | Oct 2026 |
| BioShock Infinite | Following the main-game release arc | Original release: Mar. 25, 2013 (Steam franchise listing); principal setting is Columbia in 1912 | Oct 2026 |
| Burial at Sea – Episode One | Continuing Infinite’s story DLC | Released Nov. 12, 2013; set in pre-fall Rapture | Oct 2026 |
| Burial at Sea – Episode Two | Finishing the two-part Infinite expansion | Released Mar. 25, 2014 (Steam franchise listing); begins immediately after Episode One | Oct 2026 |
Which order should a first-time player use?
Choose release order with the story expansions inserted where they naturally belong. You get the series’ intended escalation, then experience the later material with the context it assumes.
1. BioShock
Start with the original BioShock. Its Steam franchise listing gives Aug. 21, 2007 as the original release date. Beginning here introduces the series’ core ideas and the underwater city of Rapture before later games reinterpret them.
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2. BioShock 2
Play BioShock 2 next. Take-Two’s historical release schedule dates it Feb. 9, 2010, and 2K consistently places it after the first game. The publisher’s timing descriptions differ—one Switch announcement says eight years after BioShock, while a collection store description says approximately ten—so the reliable guidance is simply “after BioShock,” not a supposedly exact interval.
3. Minerva’s Den (optional)
Once BioShock 2’s main campaign is complete, play Minerva’s Den if you want another substantial story set in the BioShock 2 era. It is a self-contained campaign, so it can be omitted without removing a required chapter from the main trilogy.
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4. BioShock Infinite
Move to BioShock Infinite after the Rapture games. Steam’s franchise listing dates it Mar. 25, 2013; storefront and regional release dates can vary. Its principal setting is Columbia in 1912, but that earlier setting does not make it the best first game for most players.
5. Burial at Sea – Episode One
Play Episode One only after Infinite. The expansion was released Nov. 12, 2013 and visits Rapture before its fall. It is Infinite story DLC rather than a separate main game, so its placement after Infinite preserves the intended information flow.
6. Burial at Sea – Episode Two
Finish with Episode Two immediately after Episode One. It was released Mar. 25, 2014, and its opening follows directly from the first episode. Splitting the episodes with another game interrupts a single two-part narrative.
What is the BioShock release order?
The main-game release sequence is BioShock, BioShock 2, then BioShock Infinite. Adding the major story campaigns produces the practical list below.
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| Release position | Entry | Release information | Story role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BioShock | Aug. 21, 2007 on Steam’s franchise listing | First main game |
| 2 | BioShock 2 | Feb. 9, 2010 in Take-Two’s historical release schedule | Main-game sequel |
| 3 | Minerva’s Den | Story expansion; no dependable original launch day is established here | Optional, self-contained BioShock 2-era story |
| 4 | BioShock Infinite | Mar. 25, 2013 on Steam’s franchise listing | Third published main game |
| 5 | Burial at Sea – Episode One | Nov. 12, 2013 | Infinite story DLC, part one |
| 6 | Burial at Sea – Episode Two | Mar. 25, 2014 on Steam’s franchise listing | Infinite story DLC, part two |
A strict add-on publication list could also include combat or challenge packs between these releases. Those packs are not narrative chapters, so inserting them into a story itinerary creates extra stops without improving the plot sequence.
Release order versus chronological order
These two lists answer different questions. Release order follows when players first received each story and protects the series’ escalating reveals. Chronological order follows the broad setting dates supplied by the games’ official descriptions, even when that means starting with a later-produced game.
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| Route | Sequence | Main advantage | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-play route | BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den (optional) → Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two | Preserves publication-era context and reveal order | Does not begin with the earliest fictional setting |
| Broad chronology | Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two → BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den | Starts with Columbia in 1912 and then moves toward Rapture’s later history | Can expose connections without the context the original sequence supplied |
Neither route requires inserting the collection itself: BioShock: The Collection is a package containing three main games and their add-ons. The choice is about the order in which you launch the included campaigns, not about finding a hidden fourth game.
What is the broad chronological order?
For a setting-first route, use BioShock Infinite → Burial at Sea – Episode One → Burial at Sea – Episode Two → BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den. This is broad chronology, not an exact, fully dated timeline for every scene.
Infinite comes first by setting
Infinite’s Columbia story is established as taking place in 1912. That places its main setting earlier than the Rapture stories, but the game’s importance to the wider series is clearer after the original BioShock and BioShock 2.
Burial at Sea follows Infinite in the chronological route
Burial at Sea depicts Rapture before its fall. Episode Two starts immediately after Episode One, so keep the pair together even when following setting chronology.
BioShock and BioShock 2 follow
BioShock comes after the pre-fall Rapture material, followed by BioShock 2. The sources establish the ordering but do not establish one exact in-world year for every campaign. They also give different approximate intervals for BioShock 2, which is why a precise year-by-year chart would overstate what is known.
Minerva’s Den is last in this broad list
Minerva’s Den is a self-contained side story from the BioShock 2 era. It is safest to place it after BioShock 2 rather than claim that every one of its scenes can be synchronized to a specific point in the main campaign.
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You can, but first-time players generally should not. Infinite is earlier by setting, yet release order gives you the context its later ideas and connections are designed to build on. Playing it first is most useful for a replay focused on chronology rather than on the series’ original sequence of reveals.
This recommendation is editorial rather than a publisher-mandated rule. Burial at Sea’s status as Infinite DLC and its two-episode structure are the practical reasons to leave it until after Infinite.
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When should you play the story DLC?
Play Minerva’s Den after BioShock 2, and play both Burial at Sea episodes after Infinite. Treat the other add-ons as optional challenges rather than required story chapters.
Minerva’s Den
Minerva’s Den supplies a separate BioShock 2-era narrative campaign. Include it when you want more character and world material from that period; skip it when you want only the main trilogy and Infinite’s direct story continuation.
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Burial at Sea is a two-part Infinite expansion set in pre-fall Rapture. Ken Levine described it in 2K’s Oct. 25, 2013 announcement as “This is a love letter to the fans, but it’s also the beginning of a story that will give gamers a new perspective on the BioShock universe.” The episodes are best consumed together, after Infinite, without treating them as a fourth main game.
Challenge and combat add-ons
BioShock Challenge Rooms, BioShock 2 Protector Trials and Infinite Clash in the Clouds are optional activities. They emphasize puzzles, combat trials or gauntlets rather than adding required campaign chapters. Clash in the Clouds is described by 2K in 2013 as 60 Blue Ribbon challenges across four environments; those are challenge objectives, not 60 story missions.
Do you need Minerva’s Den to understand the series?
No. It is substantial story DLC, but it is self-contained and not a prerequisite for understanding the three main games or Burial at Sea. Its strongest use is as an epilogue-like extra for players who want another BioShock 2-era perspective.
If you are following a minimal route, finish BioShock 2 and continue to Infinite. If you are following the fuller story route, insert Minerva’s Den before Infinite so all BioShock 2-era material is complete first.
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Yes. BioShock: The Collection bundles BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 Remastered and BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition, along with the principal single-player add-ons, including Minerva’s Den and both Burial at Sea episodes. It is a rerelease bundle, not a fourth main game to add to the order.
2K announced the two-disc PlayStation 4 and Xbox One release for North America on Sept. 13, 2016, with other regional dates handled separately. The collection is therefore a convenient way to obtain the story campaigns, but the exact platform edition still matters.
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What should you know about physical editions and downloads?
A physical PlayStation 4 collection is a straightforward all-in-one option, and Xbox One also has a documented physical edition. Verify the platform and edition on the actual store listing because historical release descriptions do not establish present-day stock, price or guaranteed offline completeness.
Switch physical edition
The Switch physical release has an important limitation: 2K says its 16GB cartridge contains the opening acts, while later game content and add-ons must be downloaded. A cartridge label therefore does not mean every campaign is stored locally or playable without additional storage and an internet connection.
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- Decide whether you want every story campaign. Confirm that the listing names Minerva’s Den and both Burial at Sea episodes, rather than assuming a base-game package contains them.
- Check whether the product is original or remastered. Remastered releases do not add timeline entries; they are updated versions of the same campaigns.
- Check the platform-specific delivery method. PS4 and Xbox One physical editions were documented as two-disc products, while the Switch physical edition uses a 16GB cartridge with additional downloads.
- Plan storage for Switch. The cartridge’s opening acts are only part of the package, so leave room for later game content and add-ons before starting the full itinerary.
- Verify the current listing. Historical launch announcements do not guarantee current stock, pricing, regional packaging or offline behavior.
What counts as a story entry?
The three main games are BioShock, BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite. Minerva’s Den is a substantial, self-contained campaign attached to BioShock 2. Burial at Sea is a two-episode story expansion attached to Infinite. Those are the entries that belong in a narrative order guide.
Challenge Rooms, Protector Trials and Clash in the Clouds serve a different purpose. They provide puzzles, combat trials or gauntlets, so you can play them whenever you want without breaking the campaign’s chronology. If your goal is a complete story, leaving them out does not create a missing chapter.
Which route fits your goal?
- New to BioShock: BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den (optional) → Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two.
- Focused on fictional setting chronology: Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two → BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den.
- Want only the core games: BioShock → BioShock 2 → Infinite.
- Want every story campaign: Use the full first-playthrough route and include Minerva’s Den plus both Burial at Sea episodes.
- Want challenge content: Add Challenge Rooms, Protector Trials or Clash in the Clouds whenever you want; they do not need a place in the narrative sequence.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Starting with the bundle as if it were a new game: The Collection contains three main games and their add-ons; it is not a separate fourth entry.
- Putting Burial at Sea before Infinite: Its identity as Infinite story DLC makes the post-Infinite placement the clearer first-play experience.
- Separating the Burial at Sea episodes: Episode Two begins immediately after Episode One.
- Calling challenge packs story chapters: They are optional puzzle and combat content.
- Presenting an exact year for every event: Official descriptions establish broad ordering, not a complete date-stamped timeline.
- Assuming a Switch cartridge contains everything: Later content and add-ons require downloads according to 2K’s Switch announcement.
- Treating every release date as universal: Steam, publisher schedules and regional storefronts can show different dates; label the source and platform when citing one.
- Using Minerva’s Den as a required bridge: It enriches the BioShock 2 era but is self-contained and can be skipped.
How we picked the recommended order
The recommendation prioritizes first-time reveal order, separates main games from optional narrative DLC, keeps the two Burial at Sea episodes together, and avoids treating challenge packs as plot chapters. It also distinguishes broad setting chronology from a fully settled timeline and flags edition-specific download requirements where the publisher’s descriptions do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play BioShock 2 without finishing the first BioShock?
The sequel is playable on its own, but starting with BioShock gives you the setting and terminology that BioShock 2 builds upon. The sequel’s placement after the original is therefore a context recommendation, not a technical requirement.
Is Burial at Sea available as a standalone game?
It is presented as BioShock Infinite story DLC in two episodes rather than as a separate main entry. Look for an edition that specifically includes both episodes if you want the complete add-on narrative.
Are the Remastered versions different story chapters?
No. Remastered editions are rereleases of the existing main games, not additional entries in the timeline. Use the same play order whether you choose original or remastered versions.
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Do the challenge packs add canon story scenes?
They are designed primarily as puzzle, combat or gauntlet activities. They can extend playtime, but omitting them does not remove a required campaign chapter from the recommended story route.
Will a physical Switch copy work without downloading anything?
Not for the complete collection. The documented 16GB cartridge contains the opening acts, while later game content and add-ons require downloads, so plan for storage space and internet access.
Should Minerva’s Den come before or after BioShock 2?
Play it after BioShock 2’s main campaign. It is a self-contained story from the BioShock 2 era, and placing it afterward avoids interrupting the main sequel while still completing that period before Infinite.
Does the Collection include all three main games?
Yes. It bundles BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 Remastered and BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition. The package is a bundle of the three main games, not a new fourth game.
Are the listed release dates identical in every country and storefront?
No. The dates here are labeled by source, such as Steam’s franchise listing or Take-Two’s historical schedule. Regional launches and storefront listings can differ, so check the platform and region for a purchase or archival citation.
Do I need to buy challenge packs for the story route?
No. Challenge Rooms, Protector Trials and Clash in the Clouds are optional puzzle or combat activities. The narrative itinerary is complete without them.
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The Bottom Line
For a first playthrough, play BioShock, BioShock 2, optional Minerva’s Den, BioShock Infinite, then Burial at Sea Episodes One and Two. Use the Infinite-first list only when your priority is broad setting chronology.
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