For a first playthrough, play BioShock, then BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den (optional), BioShock Infinite, Burial at Sea – Episode One, and Burial at Sea – Episode Two. That sequence follows publication and preserves the way the series reveals its connections. A broad setting-based chronology instead starts with BioShock Infinite, followed by both Burial at Sea episodes, then BioShock, BioShock 2, and Minerva’s Den. The chronology is useful for seeing where each story sits in the universe, but it is not a perfectly dated, linear timeline.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended first playthrough | First-time players who want the intended reveal order | BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den (optional) → Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two | Oct 2026 |
| Broad setting chronology | Returning players prioritizing in-world sequence | Infinite → Burial at Sea Episode One → Episode Two → BioShock → BioShock 2 → Minerva’s Den | Oct 2026 |
What order should I use for my first BioShock playthrough?
Use release order for the three main games, then add the narrative expansions where they fit: BioShock, BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den, BioShock Infinite, Burial at Sea – Episode One, and Burial at Sea – Episode Two. Minerva’s Den can be skipped without losing the main trilogy’s plot, but it is the substantial story add-on for BioShock 2.
1. BioShock (2007)
Start with the original BioShock. It establishes the series’ central ideas, its first major setting and the storytelling vocabulary that later games assume you recognize. The Steam franchise listing dates its original release to August 21, 2007. Beginning here also prevents Infinite’s later reinterpretations from changing how you read the first game’s discoveries.
2. BioShock 2 (2010)
Play BioShock 2 next. It is the direct main-game follow-up to BioShock, returning to the consequences of the first game while giving you a different perspective and protagonist. Publisher descriptions differ on the interval they use—one 2K Switch announcement says eight years, while the collection store description says approximately ten—so the important, source-supported point is simply that it follows BioShock.
3. BioShock 2: Minerva’s Den (story DLC)
Play Minerva’s Den after finishing BioShock 2 if you want the additional narrative campaign. It is self-contained and takes place in the BioShock 2 era, so there is no need to interrupt the main campaign to insert it between particular missions. The available source material does not establish a reliable original launch day, so treat it as a story expansion rather than assigning it an exact publication date.
4. BioShock Infinite (2013)
Move to BioShock Infinite after the Rapture stories. Infinite is the third published main game and shifts the principal setting to Columbia. Its story is set in 1912, but that date describes the game’s setting rather than a complete chronological key for every event in the wider series.
5. Burial at Sea – Episode One (2013)
Play the first Burial at Sea episode immediately after Infinite. It is Infinite’s story expansion and visits Rapture before its fall. Keeping it after Infinite lets you approach its returning imagery and relationships with the context the expansion expects, without requiring a spoiler-heavy explanation here.
6. Burial at Sea – Episode Two (2014)
Finish with Burial at Sea – Episode Two. It begins immediately after Episode One, so splitting the episodes with another game weakens their continuity. The two episodes function as one concluding add-on for an Infinite-focused run.
Why is release order the safest first-time route?
Release order preserves the sequence in which the developers introduced settings, mechanics and cross-game ideas. BioShock 2 assumes you have seen the first game, while Burial at Sea was marketed and structured as Infinite downloadable content. Playing Infinite first is possible, but it changes which references feel like callbacks and which developments arrive as surprises.
This recommendation is an editorial play strategy, not a publisher-mandated rule. The games can be completed in several orders, and the broad chronology below is coherent for a replay. For a first run, however, publication order avoids asking you to understand later context before the earlier games have supplied it.
What is the BioShock chronological order?
For a broad setting-based sequence, use BioShock Infinite, Burial at Sea – Episode One, Burial at Sea – Episode Two, BioShock, BioShock 2, and Minerva’s Den. This arrangement follows the best-supported setting relationships, not a fully dated timeline for every scene.
1. Infinite: Columbia in 1912
Infinite provides the earliest clearly identified setting date in the available material: 1912. That places its principal Columbia story before the Rapture games in broad historical terms.
2. Burial at Sea Episode One: Rapture before the fall
Burial at Sea then moves to Rapture while the city has not yet fallen. Because the expansion is tied directly to Infinite, its position immediately after Infinite is the clearest way to preserve both its setting and its narrative connection.
3. Burial at Sea Episode Two
Episode Two starts directly after Episode One. Keeping the pair together is more important than trying to separate them by an inferred calendar date.
4. BioShock
After the pre-fall Rapture material, play BioShock. The game presents Rapture after its collapse, making it the natural next stop in this broad setting order.
5. BioShock 2
BioShock 2 follows the first BioShock. The exact elapsed time is described differently in 2K materials, so a broad “after BioShock” placement is more reliable than presenting one precise year.
6. Minerva’s Den
End with Minerva’s Den as a self-contained BioShock 2-era story. The evidence supports placing it with BioShock 2, but not pinning it to a specific point relative to every scene in that campaign.
Should I play Infinite before BioShock?
You can, but first-time players generally should not. Infinite’s 1912 setting makes it the earliest main-game setting, yet its later connections are more legible when you already know what BioShock established. Choose Infinite first only if you deliberately want a chronology-led replay and are comfortable trading some publication-order reveals for historical sequence.
When should I play Burial at Sea?
Play both Burial at Sea episodes after Infinite, with Episode One immediately before Episode Two. They are not standalone entries in the main-game release list: they are a two-part Infinite expansion that uses a pre-fall Rapture setting.
The first episode released on November 12, 2013, after Infinite. Episode Two followed on March 25, 2014, and begins directly where Episode One ends. Treating the pair as one continuous add-on keeps their character and setting information together without requiring a detailed spoiler explanation.
Do I need to play Minerva’s Den?
No. Minerva’s Den is optional if your goal is only the three main games, but it is the most substantial extra BioShock 2 story and belongs after BioShock 2 when included. Its self-contained campaign means skipping it does not block progress through Infinite or Burial at Sea.
Do not confuse it with BioShock 2’s challenge-focused add-ons. Minerva’s Den is narrative content; the Protector Trials are combat and endurance challenges rather than another chapter in the story itinerary.
Which BioShock DLC belongs in a story-order list?
Include Minerva’s Den and Burial at Sea if you want the meaningful narrative expansions. Leave challenge packs out of a streamlined story route because they are designed as optional activities rather than plot chapters.
Story campaigns to include
- Minerva’s Den: a self-contained BioShock 2-era campaign.
- Burial at Sea – Episode One: the first part of Infinite’s two-episode story add-on.
- Burial at Sea – Episode Two: the immediate continuation of Episode One.
Optional challenges to exclude from the main itinerary
- BioShock Challenge Rooms: puzzle-oriented extra scenarios.
- BioShock 2 Protector Trials: combat challenges built around defending objectives.
- Infinite Clash in the Clouds: a combat gauntlet rather than a story chapter. 2K described it in 2013 as 60 Blue Ribbon challenges across four environments; those are challenges, not 60 narrative missions.
If you enjoy completing every add-on, play these whenever you want after the associated game. Their challenge structure does not establish a necessary place in the fictional chronology.
What is the BioShock release order?
The following dates distinguish the original main-game releases from later story DLC. The BioShock date and Infinite date are the dates shown on Steam’s franchise listing; the BioShock 2 date comes from Take-Two’s historical release schedule.
| Entry | Original release information | Placement for a story playthrough |
|---|---|---|
| BioShock | August 21, 2007, Steam franchise listing | Play first |
| BioShock 2 | February 9, 2010, Take-Two historical release schedule | Play after BioShock |
| BioShock 2: Minerva’s Den | Story expansion; a dependable original launch day is not established here | Play after BioShock 2 if included |
| BioShock Infinite | March 25, 2013, Steam franchise listing | Play after the first two games for release order |
| Burial at Sea – Episode One | November 12, 2013 | Play after Infinite |
| Burial at Sea – Episode Two | March 25, 2014, Steam franchise listing | Play immediately after Episode One |
Storefront and regional release dates can differ. The dates above are reference points for the documented releases, not a claim that every platform launched on the same day.
Is BioShock: The Collection a fourth game?
No. BioShock: The Collection is a bundle containing BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 Remastered and BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition, along with the single-player add-ons including Minerva’s Den and both Burial at Sea episodes. Count the three constituent main games once; do not insert the collection itself into the sequence.
2K announced a two-disc PlayStation 4 and Xbox One edition for North America on September 13, 2016, with other regions receiving separate dates. The bundle is a convenient way to obtain the recommended story content, but the edition and platform still determine which downloads or discs are required.
What should I know about physical editions?
A physical PlayStation 4 copy of BioShock: The Collection is the clearest all-in-one anchor for the complete package, and Xbox One also has a documented physical route. Verify the exact edition before buying because regional packaging and included content can vary.
Switch physical edition
The physical Nintendo Switch release needs a specific caveat: 2K says its 16GB cartridge contains the opening acts of the games, while later game content and add-ons must be downloaded. A cartridge therefore does not mean that the complete collection is available offline from the card alone. Check the platform’s storage requirements and the edition’s download instructions before relying on it for travel or limited connectivity.
Do not treat historical launch descriptions as proof of present-day stock or price. Merchant availability, packaging and download requirements can change, so confirm those details for the exact listing you are considering.
How do I choose between release order and chronology?
Choose according to what you want the first run to emphasize: release order favors controlled reveals, while chronology favors the broad historical sequence of Columbia and Rapture.
- Choose release order if this is your first time, you want the series’ original progression, or you want Burial at Sea’s Infinite context intact.
- Choose chronology if you have already played the games or are replaying specifically to trace settings and historical relationships.
- Add Minerva’s Den when you want more BioShock 2 narrative; omit it when you only need the main trilogy.
- Skip challenge packs when your goal is a plot-focused itinerary rather than completion of every extra mode.
Whichever route you select, keep the two Burial at Sea episodes together. Their back-to-back structure is the one placement that does not benefit from experimentation.
How we picked these orders
The recommendation separates three things that are often mixed together: original publication order, broad setting chronology and optional narrative content. It uses the documented 2007, 2010 and 2013 main-game releases; Infinite’s stated 1912 setting; the pre-fall Rapture setting of Burial at Sea; the immediate Episode One-to-Episode Two continuation; and Minerva’s Den’s status as a self-contained BioShock 2 story. Where publisher descriptions disagree on an exact interval or a campaign’s precise year, the article uses the supported relative order instead of inventing a date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Burial at Sea without finishing Infinite?
The episodes are technically separate downloadable content, but they were made as an Infinite story continuation. Playing Infinite first supplies the character and setting context the episodes expect and avoids encountering their connections without the earlier game’s framework.
Does Minerva’s Den change the ending of BioShock 2?
Minerva’s Den is a separate campaign rather than a branch that rewrites your BioShock 2 save. You can finish the main game, launch the expansion afterward and keep its story compartmentalized.
Are the remastered games different entries in the order?
No. The remastered versions are updated editions of the same three main games. Use the same sequence—BioShock, BioShock 2, then Infinite—and add the story DLC at the positions listed above.
Do the challenge packs unlock story scenes?
They are built around puzzles, combat trials or gauntlets rather than required campaign chapters. You can complete the narrative route without them and return to the challenge modes later if you want extra gameplay.