Indiana Jones Director Defends The First-Person Perspective; Says It’s “Unique”

Ever since the reveal of the upcoming Indiana Jones and The Great Circle at Xbox Developer Direct, questions have been raised left and right regarding the developer studio MachineGames’ decision to make the title first-person with occasional third-person elements. Not being able to see the iconic Indy has come off as a disappointment to many fans, but for the Swedish Studio, it was the right move.

In a recent interview with Lucasfilm, MachineGames game director, Jerk Gustafsson discussed the studio’s choice to predominantly adopt a first-person perspective in the upcoming Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. Gustafsson upheld the decision saying the first-person perspective is inherent to the studio’s DNA and that it makes the game unique compared to conventional games of the same genre.

First-person gameplay is part of MachineGames’ DNA, and we wanted to see how we could use this to create a really immersive experience around stepping into the shoes of the world’s most famous archaeologist. It also separates our game from many other action-adventure titles, making it a unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else,” says Jerk Gustafsson. 

The director also reassured fans about a “seamless flow” between first and third-person actions, events, and cinematics ensuring that Indiana Jones will be visible on-screen as much as possible. MachineGames, in any way, looks completely confident in their choice of perspective. The studio has previously proven its ability with the widely acclaimed first-person action, Wolfenstein series where Gustafsson himself served as Game Designer and Executive Producer.

Moreover, adding to the studio’s confidence in the upcoming title, design director Jens Andersson sparked excitement among fans about playing the game as the iconic Indy themselves.

Our game is about putting you in the shoes of an iconic hero. Since we are doing this mostly in first-person, you have the chance to truly become Indy. First-person makes you part of this world – allowing you to explore and experience things more intimately. What will you do when you’re dropped into this adventure with your wits and your whip?” says Jens Anderson

Lastly, Gustafsson spilled some details about the gameplay saying the combat is “grounded and heavy, with a lot of focus on hand-to-hand fighting.” There is also a “sense of dread like you are just about to stumble over the precipice, or the branch you’re holding onto is about to break.” 

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is slated for a 2024 release on Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with immediate availability on Game Pass. The game is under development by MachineGames. Bethesda Softworks has taken on the publishing duties. Check out the reveal trailer below.