Abstract

BioShock made a big splash not only for the depth of its subject matter, but also for the way it utilized its video game medium to present its big ideas in a uniquely engaging way. The game weaves many themes into its complicated narrative, complete with shifting identities, science fiction superpowers, and survival‐horror overtones. It is clear that BioShock wants to be taken as a spiritual sequel to Rand's philosophical novel Atlas Shrugged, revealing a possible fate for John Galt's mysterious hidden utopia, sought after for much of the novel but never fully revealed, as the book ends just before Galt discloses his society and its plans for the world. Rand develops her philosophy through fiction because she defines art as a selective re‐creation of reality according to an artist's perspective. That is, a work of art is an artist's take on what it is to be human.