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Indiana Jones is back, in video game form! I know, I know, we can’t believe it either. Helmed by MachineGames (Wolfenstein: The New Order) and the newly reformed Lucasfilm Games, an untitled Indiana Jones project is officially in the works.
The game was announced on January 12 via a short teaser from Bethesda, where it was also revealed that Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard would serve as an executive producer on this exciting new adventure. In an interview with Wired, Lucasfilm’s VP of franchise content and strategy James Waugh said that the game was a “passion project” for Howard. “He came in with a point of view and a story that he really believes in”.
That is the extent of our official knowledge about this game, but, like any good Indiana Jones mystery, there is always more to the story. As part of the game’s announcement blog, the copy notes that while few details have been revealed so far, the cryptic teaser “may hold some clues.”
We’ve been poring over the short trailer with a fine-tooth comb, and sure enough, there are a lot of small details that you might have missed. Let’s talk about the most interesting finds.
Another concrete detail from the trailer is a gigantic map of Vatican City, the independent city-state of the Holy See. Indy appears to be studying this area thoroughly, marking areas of interest like the Belvedere Courtyard, which also happens to be the site of the Vatican Apostolic Library. The Vat is positively littered with historic texts and artefacts, which would be of prime interest to our myth-hunting protagonist.
Indy has also put a question mark on the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of then-pope Pius XI, and the location of the famous window where he delivers blessings. Not quite sure what his intentions are there, but an audience with the head of the Catholic Church may be out of the question. We can also see some arrows pointing west from St. Peter’s Square, which suggests that this may be Indy’s intended entry point. Not exactly subtle!
Some of the game takes place in October 1937
The main thing we can spot in the trailer is Indy’s passport and his travel ticket. The ticket mentions that he is embarking on an “Overnight Service to Rome” on October 21, 1937. The passport’s entry fields suggest that he is heading there under the guise of a “Research/Education” trip, connected to his day job teaching Archaeology at Marshall College (we can see a coffee mug with the 'MC' symbol on his desk). However, we can also assume from the fact that he’s taking his whip and his gun that this vacation won’t be strictly academic.I downloaded the trailer in HD and have been looking for clues.
It looks like the @machinegames Indiana Jones project is set in Vatican City in October 1937, at least for some part of it. You can see the Sistine Chapel on the map. pic.twitter.com/yCYnsXWRNj — Jordan Oloman (@JordanOloman) January 12, 2021
Indiana Jones is going to Vatican City
Another concrete detail from the trailer is a gigantic map of Vatican City, the independent city-state of the Holy See. Indy appears to be studying this area thoroughly, marking areas of interest like the Belvedere Courtyard, which also happens to be the site of the Vatican Apostolic Library. The Vat is positively littered with historic texts and artefacts, which would be of prime interest to our myth-hunting protagonist.
Indy has also put a question mark on the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of then-pope Pius XI, and the location of the famous window where he delivers blessings. Not quite sure what his intentions are there, but an audience with the head of the Catholic Church may be out of the question. We can also see some arrows pointing west from St. Peter’s Square, which suggests that this may be Indy’s intended entry point. Not exactly subtle!
The Typewritten Note
Looks like Indy is leaving a message for someone - "i will be arriving in Rome" pic.twitter.com/jaoQebK6ZI