Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - everything we know so far

Cat Bussell
·5 min read
Indiana Jones is interrogated by an unsavory villain.
Indiana Jones is interrogated by an unsavory villain.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is officially on its way, having been announced all the way back in January 2021, and now we have a full title for the game there's no better time to get excited than now. Developed by MachineGames, the studio behind Wolfenstein, the new adventure game had since gone quiet, but we've got a gameplay reveal under our belts now, alongside a large release window.

Set to be headed up by Elder Scrolls 6 director Todd Howard, there's still a lot left to be told about this upcoming adventure game. However, we do know that this title will explore a new story set at the heights of Indy's career, and it's coming soon.

We've also been able to glean a couple more details from the teaser trailer alongside the most recent reveal. Want to know more? Read on for everything we know so far about the new Indiana Jones game, including a look at what to expect from the story, and what platforms it'll launch on.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: cut to the chase

  • What is it? A new standalone Indiana Jones game with an original story

  • When does it come out? 2024

  • What can I play it on? Xbox Series X|S, PC

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle platforms

A cultist prays at a sinister altar
A cultist prays at a sinister altar

Given Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax Media, it's unsurprising that when the Indiana Jones game does drop, it will be exclusive to Xbox Series X|S and PC. It will also be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle trailers

The most recent trailer we've received for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle came as part of the Xbox Developers Direct held on January 18, 2024, and gave the first look into what we can expect from this game. This first-person single-player adventure puts us into the shoes of the titular explorer and shows brief spats of combat alongside some storytelling cinematics, and while a lot of the content of the game remains a mystery, this is a solid first look at what to expect.

In addition to this gameplay reveal, Bethesda shared a teaser trailer on Twitter in January 2021 that officially announced the new Indiana Jones game, though it had more Easter Eggs than actual information. The trailer pans across a desk covered with books, a camera, and papers before landing on Dr. Jones' signature fedora hat and whip. It's not much, but it's enough to get us excited. There seem to be plenty of clues lurking about, too.

If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of any new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle developments, keep an eye on the official Bethesda Twitter page.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle story and setting

Indiana Jones and an assistant take a motorboat onto open water
Indiana Jones and an assistant take a motorboat onto open water

Given it's an Indiana Jones game we'll be able to expect an exciting, pulpy adventure full of brash heroism and relics of antiquity.

Thankfully, the teaser and gameplay trailer do offer some useful tidbits that an enterprising viewer could use to piece together some parts of the plot. Given the trailer shows a map of Vatican City as well as writing that partly says, "I will be arriving in Rome", it looks like we'll see Dr. Jones adventuring in Italy, alongside the introductory cutscene of the trailer that suggests a brief stint in Africa.

Given the fact that Indy's plane ticket is dated 1937, our hero may have to contend with the machinations of Italy's ascendant fascist party as Europe teeters on the brink of the Second World War. This also means that the game will be (at least partially) set a year after the first Indiana Jones movie: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The books of "Ancient Circles", "Forbidden Stones" and "Myths that Made Us" suggest that, in typical Indiana Jones fashion, the adventure will feature occult myths and ancient artifacts with supernatural powers.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle news

A new gameplay trailer offers a 2024 release date
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle received a title and a release window as part of the Xbox Developers Direct on January 18, 2024. A deeper look into what exactly we can expect from the game was also provided, confirming that it'll be a first-person single-player adventure game.

Gameplay reveal scheduled alongside a new showcase
Thanks to the Machinegames Twitter account, we know that we'll get an Indiana Jones gameplay reveal on January 18, 2024.

Indiana Jones is Xbox-exclusive
Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has revealed that the upcoming Indiana Jones game will be Xbox and PC only. While providing testimony at the ongoing court battle between Microsoft and the US Federal Trade Commission over the former's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Spencer commented on the game's exclusivity, and on the fact that it was planned to be multi-platform before the company's acquisition of Bethesda (via the Verge).

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