Nintendo’s platforms have hosted all sorts of iconic series over the years, but one we haven’t seen just yet is Shenmue. While nothing has admittedly changed on this front, a recent announcement has reignited hopes.
ININ Games has revealed it has now “officially acquired” the publishing rights to Shenmue III and will have “some news to share about this soon enough”. While nobody knows what to expect just yet, fans of the series are already calling for the third entry to be released on Nintendo’s platform.
The Target Black Friday Sale has officially commenced! Target is one of the most popular retailers for Black Friday, and one thing I’ve learned over the years of finding deals is that it knows how to put on a good sale. This year, Target has come out the gate swinging with outstanding Black Friday deals on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles, the Meta Quest 3S VR headset, and the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer smart glasses. It’s also a great one-stop shop for holiday gift ideas like a new Apple iPad or a pair of AirPods, Pokemon TCG sets, LEGOs, toys, and more.
Target is one of my favorite shopping sites, both in-store and online. Its prices are very competitive, its return policy is generous, and it has plenty of retail locations so that buying online and picking up in-store is a convenient option. Target offers great exclusive discounts via its Target Circle membership, and best of all, joining is free. There is a paid upgrade that’s worth it for regular Target shoppers similar to Amazon Prime or Walmart+, and it’s on sale for Black Friday as well.
Update: The Switch is going in and out of stock at Target (before it was just out of stock).
Compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch console has the best discount for Black Friday. The holiday bundles, which were released back in October, included your choice of the Switch or Switch OLED, a digital download voucher for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a 12-month Switch Online membership. I thought that this was going to be the official Black Friday deal. Alas, Target (but not Amazon, due to their supposedly shaky relationship) has just knocked another $75 off the price tag. That means you can pick up a Switch bundle for as low as $225.
More Black Friday Nintendo Switch Deals
Super Mario Odyssey deserves to be a staple game in everyone’s Switch library. It’s one of the few Mario games that is a completely Switch original instead of a remake. Despite the fact that it was launched way back in 2017, it’s still one of the best Switch games even today. In his 10/10 “Masterpiece” review, Ryan Mccaffrey wrote that “Super Mario Odyssey is a brilliant adventure and love letter to the series that made Nintendo a household name.”
More Black Friday Video Game Deals for Nintendo Switch
Black Friday is like a bonus holiday for Pokémon TCG fans. We’re talking about deck building, chasing rare cards, or just stockpiling boosters for a rainy day. This year’s Black Friday deals are stacked with good finds. Update: This is the last Pokemeon TCG item left in stock but I’ll re-add any Pokemon TCG sets that come back for Black Fridyay.
Sony released their entire set of Black Friday PlayStation deals last week and most major retailers have followed suit. The best deal is definitely on the consoles themselves: the PS5 Slim Disc Edition has dropped to $424.99 (originally $500) and the PS5 Slim Digital Edition has dropped to $374.99 (originally $450). I would choose the Disc Edition because it’s only $50 more and then I have the option to buy (and later sell or trade) physical disc media. Target doesn’t carry the “Fortnite Cobalt Star” bundle but all that includes is a couple of Fortnite skins and in-game currency. If you want to save some money and go the Digital Edition route, I would suggest getting the NBA 2K25 bundle, which also includes a game.
More PlayStation Black Friday Deals
Star Wars: Outlaws was released only 3 months ago, and it’s already 33% off for Black Friday. Maybe Ubisoft is trying to boost sales after lackluster sales at launch, but that means you get to enjoy a AAA title at a great discount. IGN’s Tristan Ogilvie gave it a 7/10 review, but I’ve beaten the game and I immensely enjoyed it and would give it at least an 8. It definitely has a “Assassin’s Creed game in a Star Wars skin” vibe, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
More Black Friday Video Game Deals for PS5/Xbox
Target isn’t the only retailer with games already on sale. For more deals on video games sorted by individual platform, check out our best Black Friday deal guides for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X.
One of the best Apple Black Friday deals has arrived and it’s better than I predicted. Target has dropped the price of the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds to $153.99. This discount brings the price down to the same level as the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancellation. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still Apple’s best earbuds because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation performance.
At $299.99, the Meta Quest 3S was inarguably the best value out there in the world of VR gaming, but apparently that’s not good enough to be considered a Black Friday deal. So, Target has decided to include a nice bonus: Target shoppers get a bonus $75 Target gift card. The Quest 3S also comes bundled with the Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game.
What really sets this deal above all other VR deals (like the PlayStation VR2) is that the Meta Quest 3S can be played completely untethered. That means you can play games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without having to own a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. Try to find another standalone VR headset at this price and you’ll come up empty.
Available in several different sizes and lenses options
There’s a very intriguing – if a bit controversial – deal going on that you might want to check out for yourself. Amazon is offering a 20% discount off the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Smart Glasses, with prices starting at $239.20. That’s the same deal you’ll find at other retailers, however Target is throwing in a $90 Target gift card. The Meta Wayfarer glasses are an influencer’s dream, and that’s exactly what they’re designed for: social media. They’re surprisingly slim and lightweight for glasses equipped with an integrated 12MP video camera and speaker. You can use them to take quick snapshots or up to 60 second videos that you can then upload to your social media of choice. You can even livestream 30 second videos.
After years of ownership, I still love my Instant Pot pressure cooker.
Since Target is a one-stop shopping site, it makes sense that their Black Friday Sale extends beyond gaming and tech. Here are the best deals I’ve seen so far on small appliances, personal care products like hair dryers and toothbrushes, vacuum cleaners, and other convenient necessities that everyone – gamers included – might find useful. Although air fryers are all the rage these days, I bought my Instant Pot pressure cooker over ten years ago and still use it weekly.
One deal you might have missed is this really awesome MEGA Microsoft Xbox 360 Collector Building Set. It’s normally $150 but there’s a 50% discount for Black Friday that drops it to only $74.99. The MEGA Microsoft Xbox 360 Collector Building Set is a buildable 3:4 scale replica of the Xbox 360 console with a brick count total of 1,342 pieces (5.5 cents per brick). The details in this build are, frankly, incredible, and include interactive elements, lighting effects, and the coolest accessories. This is such an interesting product that I wrote up a dedicated Black Friday article just for this deal.
The least expensive 75″ TV
This is easily the best TV deal in Target’s ad scan, which is why it’s on their front page. Target will drop the price on this Westinghouse TV from $499.99 to $399.99, making it one of the least expensive 75″ TVs we’ll see for Black Friday. Aside from the absolutely gigantic screen size, a native 4K resolution, and 60Hz refresh rate, this TV also features the Roku smart interface. I personally prefer Roku over Fire TV or Google TV because it’s more intuitive to use.
The least expensive 65″ TV
Need an inexpensive TV that gets the job done? Look no further than this Hisense A6 Xumo TV. This is currently the least expensive 65″ TV deal for Black Friday and has a good chance of staying that way. At this price you’re getting a pretty barebones TV, but it has all the important essentials, like a generous 65″ TV screen size with a native 4K resolution panel, built-in speakers, and an integrated Xumo TV smart interface. If you would rather use a smart interface that’s more familliar to you, you can pick up a Fire TV Stick 4K for $21.99 or a Roku Ultra LT for $34.
You can pick up a copy of Azul for only $20 for Black Friday. Many board games are about mystery or war, but Azul is totally different. Players in Azul compete to design the most beautiful tiled mosaics they can. In our Azul review, Matt Thrower writes “Between its beautiful presentation, simplicity and depth there’s little doubt that Azul has earned its place as a modern classic. While the tinkering with its formula undertaken by its sequels has created more challenging games, none has captured the fine blend of accessibility and interactivity that makes it special.”
More Black Friday Board Game Deals
LEGOs are one of the best gift ideas for the holidays, so LEGO deals get snapped up pretty quickly during Black Friday. Target is advertising select sets for up to 40% off. We’ve added all of the ones that are shown in the ad scan that have been discounted, but expect to see even more sets on sale in the coming days. The best deal right now – a LEGO City Space Science Lab for only $19.99 (originally $35) – would make a great gift for kids. At an average cost of a mere 3.5 cents per brick, this deal is a phenomenal value.
More Black Friday LEGO Deals
The least expensive gaming PC handheld
Target has dropped the price of the Asus ROG Ally Z1 gaming handheld PC to only $349.99 after a $150 discount. This is currently the least expensive cost of entry to the world of gaming handheld PCs. The ROG Ally runs off Windows 11. The benefit compared to the Steam Deck, which runs off SteamOS, is that the ROG Ally is compatible with pretty much any Windows-based game client, including Steam, Battle.net, Xbox Games Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and more. That makes it more attractive to gamers who like to play games that aren’t available on Steam.
Target Circle 360 exclusive
Target Circle 360 exclusive
Who doesn’t love a good ol’ freebie for Black Friday? Target is offering a free pair of fuzzy wuzzy Target Adult Bullseye Slippers for Target Circle 360 members. These slippers normally cost $15, so if you sign up for the membership at the promotional price of $50, you’re already a third of the way towards getting your money’s worth!
Everyone’s eligible for this deal
You don’t need to be a Target Circle 360 member to get this freebie. Target is offering a single pack of the Air Wick Scented Oil Air Freshener, with warmer included, for free after you clip the $4 off Target Circle coupon. Supposedly it lasts for 60 days, and you can easily top it off with Air Wick refills. I much prefer this over scented candles because it doesn’t leave soot residue everywhere.
Most items are eligible
Starting now, Target Circle members will be able to buy two books, movies, or music and get a third free. Some examples include the kids’ favorites Percy Jackson or Dog Man book series, the recently released Inside Out 2 on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD, or vinyl from superstars like Sabrina Carpenter or Taylor Swift. I’m personally hoping to fill out my Lord of the Rings library collection for this round of Black Friday.
Who says Thanksgiving get-togethers have to be expensive?
Target is offering enough food to provide for a Thanksgiving meal for four for under $20. The list includes a 10lb turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, cream of mushroom soup, and green beans. This deal is already live.
Similar to Amazon Prime or Walmart+
Like Amazon and Walmart, Target has its own paid membership that offers great perks in addition to the great deals you are entitled to as a Target Circle member. The Target Circle 360 membership normally costs $100 per year, but the price drops to $50 for Black Friday. Exclusive perks include free two-day shipping with no minimum, free same-day delivery on orders over $35, delivery to other addresses, and an additional 30 days added to your return window.
lack Friday is like a bonus holiday for Pokémon TCG fans. We’re talking about deck building, chasing rare cards, or just stockpiling boosters for a rainy day. This year’s Black Friday deals are stacked with good finds. From big boxes packed with collectibles to pre-built decks ready for action, we’ve combed through the Electro-Web (thank you) to highlight the best ones. Let’s get into it!
30% Off Apple iPad Air
Update: This deal has been removed from the site. We expect it to return on Black Friday.
Target has the 5th generation iPad Air 10.9″ M1 tablet for only $359.99 after you clip a Target Circle coupon. That makes it $240 cheaper than the current gen 2024 model and one of the best Black Friday iPad deals I’ve seen. This is still a very relevant tablet in 2024; the Apple M1 chip is more powerful than the A14 Bionic chip in the newest iPad and the A17 Pro in the newest iPad Mini. It features a 10.9″ 2360×1640 Retina display with True Tone and P3 wide color and USB-C.
$320 Off Apple Watch Ultra
Update: This deal has been removed from the site. We expect it to return on Black Friday.
Target is offering a brand new Apple Watch Ultra (1st gen) for only $479.99 after you clip the $320 off Target Circle coupon. This is Apple’s best watch, with a titanium case that’s more rugged and corrosion resistant than the softer aluminum casing found in most Apple Watches. Pure titanium (not titanium “coated”) metal is considerably more expensive and is one of the main reasons why the Apple Watch Ultra commands a high price tag. The size of the case is also larger at 49mm (compared to 41mm-45mm for the Series 8). Other upgrades over the Series 8 include a brighter display protected by a scratch resistant sapphire crystal face, a precise dual-frequency GPS, beam-forming triple microphone array, dual speakers, up to 36 hours of battery life, up to 100m (300ft) of water resistance, a customizable physical action button next to the crown, and a built-in Oceanic+ app that literally puts a dive computer on your wrist.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
One category where Best Buy seems to really shine are its selection of gaming laptops and gaming PCs. The sheer number and quality of the deals outclasses the ones we found on Amazon, Walmart, or Target so far.
A big advantage you get for shopping at Best Buy over online-only retailers like Amazon is that you have the option of buying online and picking it up in store. Chances are there’s a retail location within driving distance of your home. Not only do you avoid the hassle of shipping, especially during the busy holiday season, but returning your order can be a lot easier, especially on larger items like computers and TVs.
Sony released their entire set of Black Friday PlayStation deals last week and most major retailers have followed suit. The best deal is definitely on the consoles themselves: the PS5 Slim Disc Edition has dropped to $424.99 (originally $500) and the PS5 Slim Digital Edition has dropped to $374.99 (originally $450). I would choose the Disc Edition because it’s only $50 more and then I have the option to buy (and later sell or trade) physical disc media. But if you want to save some money and go the Digital Edition route, I would suggest getting the NBA 2K25 bundle, which also includes a game. Although the Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle has a fancy looking box, no actual game is included.
More Playstation Black Friday Deals
Metaphor: ReFantazio was released on October 11, so it’s nice to see a nice 29% off discount so soon after launch. This is an outstanding RPG that gets pretty much everything right: intensely enjoyable combat, a gripping epic storyline, and hyper-stylized graphics. I’ve beaten the game, and I think it’s just as good as Persona 5 (which I also loved). In his 9/10 IGN review, Michael Higham wrote that “Refining the Atlus RPG formula of weaving tough turn-based combat into compelling social sim mechanics, Metaphor: ReFantazio doesn’t just send a powerful message across its political drama, it becomes a beautiful expression of the real impact storytelling can have on all of us.”
More Black Friday Video Game Deals for PS5/Xbox
HP’s new sensibly designed Omen 35L gaming PC is least expensive at Best Buy. This attractive gaming desktop features an AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The RTX 4060 Ti video card is a very good option for 1080p gaming at high frame rates. It’s also the minimum NVIDIA GPU we’d recommend for 1440p gaming.
At the other end of the spectrum, we have this super powerful CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme gaming PC, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X CPU, RTX 4080 Super GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD for maximum performance as both a gaming and workstation rig. The 4080 Super will excel at 4K gaming. In our RTX 4080 Super review, Jacqueline Thomas writes, “If you’re in the market for a 4K graphics card around $1,000, it’s hard to think of any GPU that’s a better purchase right now. This is the RTX 4080 that should have launched in 2022.”
Right now you can get a Lenovo LOQ RTX 4060 gaming laptop for only $699.99. That’s the least expensive RTX 4060 laptop deal we’ve seen so far for Black Friday. The LOQ is Lenovo’s lineup of budget-oriented gaming laptops. This model features a 15″ 1080p display, a low-voltage AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS CPU, GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The RTX 4060 has the maximum TGP that can supplied to an RTX 4060 mobile GPU (115W). That means it will perform near the top of its class, and even beat out some RTX 4070 gaming laptops.
Best Buy is the only retailer to drop the price on the new Asus ROG Ally X so far for Black Friday, Right now you can get it for $699.99 after a $100 instant discount. In our Asus ROG Ally X review, gaming guru Jacqueline Thomas wrote that “the Asus ROG Ally X is simply the best handheld gaming PC on the market right now. With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half.”
The Asus ROG Ally X improves on the original ROG Ally in several ways, the biggest upgrades being a much bigger 80Whr battery with nearly the runtime, more RAM, a beefier cooling system, double the storage capacity on the base model, and better controls. It’s not inexpensive starting at $799.99 $699.99, but it’s definitely an incredible piece of hardware.
More Black Friday PC Gaming Deals
Compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch console has the best discount for Black Friday. The holiday bundles, which were released back in October, included your choice of the Switch or Switch OLED, a digital download voucher for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a 12-month Switch Online membership. I thought that this was going to be the official Black Friday deal. Alas, Best Buy (but not Amazon, due to their supposedly shaky relationship) has just knocked another $75 off the price tag. That means you can pick up a Switch bundle for as low as $225.
More Black Friday Switch Deals
IGN absolutely loves this video game. In our 9/10 Sonic X Shadow Generations review, Jada Griffin wrote that “Sonic X Shadow Generations takes an already excellent game and spring jumps it to new heights with a creative Shadow campaign and an appreciable graphical upgrade.” This game is actually a collection of two games in one: a remaster of the 2011 Sonic Generations and – the highlight – a brand new, original campaign starring Shadow the Hedgehog.
More Black Friday Video Game Deals for Switch
Best Buy isn’t the only retailer with games already on sale. For more deals on video games sorted by individual platform, check out our best Black Friday deal guides for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X.
Here’s your chance to get one of the best OLED TVs on the market at an amazing price. Right now, Best Buy is offering the current 2024 model 65″ Samsung S90D 4K OLED Smart TV for only $1,399.99 after a massive 48% off price drop. This is an excellent TV to pair up with your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. In fact, this TV could even be a better gaming TV than the LG C4. Although we haven’t personally tested it, RTINGS says that the S90D is brighter, has a wider color gamut, better color volume, wider viewing angle, and better HDR gradient handling. Of course, it’s also $100 cheaper than the C4.
As a bonus, this bundle will allow you to play Game Pass games without an Xbox console (you’ll still need to get yourself an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription). If you choose that route, however, we recommend getting the Fire TV Stick 4K Max instead, which offers a faster Wi-Fi 6e wireless connection The total will come out to be $62.98.
More Black Friday Xbox Deals
One of the best Apple Black Friday deals has arrived and it’s better than I predicted. Best Buy has dropped the price of the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds to $159.99. This discount brings the price down to the same level as the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancellation. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still Apple’s best earbuds because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation performance.
The Arc is Sonos’ flagship product. We rated it the best soundbar of 2024. This is a premium soundbar and it shows. This 45″ soundbar houses 11 precisely engineered internal speakers, including two dedicated height channels. It’s Dolby Atmos ready, and there’s enough power here that you can probably get away without a subwoofer. However, the Sonos Arc can be wirelessly paired up with other Sonos speakers and subs to add even more sound distribution. The Arc also has a built-in microphone for voice control so it is Alexa and Google Assistant compatible.
More Black Friday Sonos Deals
When Is Black Friday 2024?
We’re in the home stretch: Black Friday falls on November 29 this year. All month long, retailers have been rolling out sales, ramping up to massive discounts on Black Friday and through the weekend into Cyber Monday. There are already some fantastic deals available on PS5 consoles and controllers, video games for all platforms, AirPods Pro, and tons more.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Whichever “Roblox experience” has you or someone you know hooked, I’m sure it has microtransactions (things to spend real money on) in one form or another. Roblox gift cards can be converted into the Robux needed to make those purchases, and those gift cards happen to be included in Amazon’s Black Friday sales.
While there are slight discounts on digital gift cards, the best savings you can possibly get is by going physical: Right now, you can get a full $10 off $50 Roblox gift cards.
The Best Roblox Black Friday Deal: $50 Gift Card for $40
If you’re doing some holiday shopping over Black Friday, a physical Roblox gift card is an unbeatable stocking stuffer. Though, I have to admit, getting $50 worth of Robux at a $10 discount is something you could even gift to yourself. A $50 gift card is equivalent to about 4,500 Robux. By saving $10, you’re basically getting 900 Robux for free. Act fast, however, because I’m sure this Lightning Deal will sell out quick.
Depending on what month you redeem your Roblox gift card, you’ll also get a different free virtual item. In November, that gift is the Midnight Crimson Sombrero, but if you wait until December, you’ll get the Festive Deadpan Alpaca Head.
Does Roblox Have Its Own Black Friday Sale?
Roblox as a platform doesn’t have an “official” Black Friday sale, but you might find deals, discounts, and special events within specific experiences. Feel free to scroll through the Roblox store on Amazon for more discounts, or check out our roundups of the best Black Friday gaming deals from Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation.
How to Redeem Roblox Gift Cards
Once you’ve received a Roblox Gift Card, you’ll want to head over to Roblox.com/redeem. From there, you will need to do the following:
Log into an existing Roblox account (or register for the first time)
Find the PIN/Code on the Gift Card and enter it into the white box on the website
Click the Redeem button
If successful, a success message will appear on screen and Credit will be added to the associated account
Congratulations! You’ve now got a new amount of Robux credit added to that account that can be spent in-game on whatever you want! You can check out our guide on how to redeem Roblox gift cards for more details.
Black Friday is offering up plenty of video game deals right now, including on fantastic newer releases. The Game of the Year-nominated Metaphor: ReFantazio is currently on sale at its lowest price yet, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, of $49.99. This is $20 off its list price of $69.99. If you’ve been waiting for a good time to pick this one up, now’s an excellent time to do it since it’s still on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
Both Amazon and Best Buy have the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions on sale for $49.99, but Walmart only has the PlayStation 5 version on sale for that price.
As previously mentioned, Metaphor: ReFantazio has been nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards this year. It also earned nominations for Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, and Best RPG. We gave it a 9/10 in our review as well, with IGN’s Michael Higham saying, “There’s a certain familiarity in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but Atlus takes the principles of its already excellent RPGs and refines them in a way that effortlessly ushers you through its brutal, and sometimes beautiful, new fantasy world.”
Outside of games there are even more deals to check out. To see a collection of our favorites, have a look at our full breakdown of Black Friday 2024 where we go over the best deals at the moment on TVs, Apple devices, board games, LEGO, and so much more.
More PS5 Games on Sale for Black Friday
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Is your Zone more Anomaly-rich than it should be? Are your corpses uncannily airborne? Do your comrades have dodgy teeth, and not in a good way? Do bits of your HUD keep disappearing? Be of good cheer, for GSC Game World have released the first proper S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornbyl update, which patches out over 650 different bugs and issues. These range from more significant problems such as crashing and progression-blockers in certain missions, to relatively negligible stuff like wonky NPC voice volume during storms.
Remember earlier this year when Nintendo revealed its range of controller button fidget toys, sold exclusively in the gacha machines of its Japan stores? Well, it looks like there’s a new collection in town to get us envious all over again.
As spotted by a whole host of people today on Twitter and BlueSky, it appears that the Tokyo Nintendo Store is home to a new gacha collection, one that contains miniature magnetic Zonai devices from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Oh, be still, my beating heart.
How Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Brings Us Inside the Mind of Indy
It’s easy to forget that, over the course of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we’ll spending the runtime of multiple films with the archaeologist adventurer. Not just that but, thanks to the game’s primarily first-person viewpoint, we’ll be quite literally inside Indy’s head.
It gave the game’s developer MachineGames a responsibility – not just representing the world and feel of the Indiana Jones movies faithfully, but also this character, who we already know so well.
As Design Director Jens Andersson puts it: “Of course, no-one is more iconic than Indiana Jones, so getting that right was paramount.” There’s so much to juggle here – from Indy’s tone of voice, to the way he reacts to situations, right down to how he moves, or uses his equipment. And, for the developers, that meant going to the source.
“Lucasfilm Games and Franchise was a great help here, providing a ton of insight on the character,” explains Andersson.
“The collaboration with the Lucasfilm Games team has been incredibly smooth,” adds Lead Narrative Designer, Tommy Tordsson Björk. “We’ve had an open channel with them throughout the project where we’ve sent finished drafts of scripts to them for feedback and getting their lore input on various aspects. This open and transparent working process has been very valuable for us.”
But, truly, this research was just the start.
Meeting Indy
Poring over not only the films, but comic books and even other games became central to defining who Indiana Jones truly is, and led the team to create “rules” around what Indy would and wouldn’t do:
“Early on in the project I started to look at the early movies, starting to dissect the character and the IP,” explains Creative Director Axel Torvenius. “The goal was to flesh out and identify what is core to the franchise. What that gave us was some sort of framework for who Indiana Jones is, but also, and sometimes even more importantly – what he is not.
“Quite quickly you realize that he is not a guns-first type of character that kicks down doors, mowing through enemies with a machine gun. He is also not an aggressor or vengeful person. There are some key beats to Indy as a character: he is very human, he is an academic, he is a complex character with his weaknesses (and strengths), he is passionate, an empath with warmth. He also has a sweet tooth for danger and daring stunts, he is obsessed, he thirsts for knowledge, and he is extremely resourceful.”
That framework didn’t just govern how Indy acts in the core story, or how he speaks – it was applied to everything about the game, down to moments where players make choices in how to act, or take part in optional content that other players may never find.
“All of these things tie into the types of actions he does and it ties into which type of narrative we want to craft,” says Torvenius. “So even when you are off tangent and not on the golden path, all your actions will still feel like they fit within the IP.”
“We worked really hard to make sure it was fun and easy for the player to make similar choices that Indy would do,” adds Andersson. “If the player naturally chooses to play as a lovable and sometimes brawling archaeologist, they’ve already put themselves into the shoes of Indiana Jones and most of the battle is already won.”
Defining the Character
But this isn’t just an image of Indiana Jones as a whole – The Great Circle is set in a very specific period between ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’, meaning MachineGames needed to further refine the character. Who was he in this moment?
“Speaking in terms of the storyline, the game picks up after ‘Raiders’. Indy has split with [‘Raiders’ companion] Marion Ravenwood and he’s kind of lost, trying to figure out what his next move is,” explains Torvenius. “He is this charming, very human teacher, but also this almost obsessed superhero – but with no superpowers.”
‘Obsession’ is an idea that everyone I speak to brings up around this take on Indy – and interestingly, it was drawn out of the movie that follows this game in the timeline:
“Obsession is what defines him here. Obsession with his work, with exploring the past and uncovering the secrets of history, and it is this that has led him to where he is when the game starts,” explains Björk. “Indy’s personal theme of obsession is something that we’ve drawn from ‘The Last Crusade’ and the relationship Indy has with his dad, who also was obsessed with work. Indy doesn’t realize how much it also defines him – and that’s how it often goes, isn’t it? It’s not easy to see or analyse your own character traits and flaws.”
But perhaps most excitingly for players, much of the rest is up to you. MachineGames has created a version of this character that’s open to your interpretation:
“What defines him in this game is what you as a player want to define him as. We have crafted a game experience where all his character traits and skills are there for you to choose from. But regardless whether you, as a player, choose the fists-first brawler or the inquisitive investigator that hides in the shadows, we have made sure that this will always feel like a solid, genuine Indiana Jones adventure.”
Growth Mindset
Another key element for The Great Circle’s take on the character was in having him change over time – MachineGames isn’t looking to create a static icon of who Indiana Jones is, but offer a meaningful exploration of how he grows after ‘Raiders’ and before ‘The Last Crusade’. That comes down not just to the story, but the game itself – MachineGames has found ways of hinting at Indy’s personal growth through mechanics.
“There are several ways we have worked with this,” begins Torvenius. “Throughout the game we reward the player with Adventure Points. These points can be spent to unlock skills that you find in ability books. These are basically new skills you learn throughout the adventure – and all these skills and moves you unlock have been carefully crafted to fit the character of Indy. Some of these are things like more health or stamina and others are related to handling the whip – all features intimately tied to Indiana Jones. This gives a sense of experience building up.
“We also have a visual progression with his hat and jacket becoming a tad more beaten up throughout the experience, and the same goes for the journal. Indy’s journal becomes more and more built out, and shows stains and scribbles on the pages to emphasize the player’s journey. All of these things combine to work together very nicely – the player will never be left feeling that the character of Indy is not evolving throughout the game.”
And, of course, playing the majority of the game in first-person plays a major part here too. While it may seem a challenge to set the game within a character so defined by his look, it gave MachineGames a chance to use their experience within this area – particularly in the recent Wolfenstein games.
“We knew this was super important challenge from the get-go,” says Andersson. “Luckily, this is not our first rodeo. Big parts of the team have worked together on story-driven first-person games all the way back to The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness. Also, I think the Wolfenstein series surprised the world by having a very interesting and relatable character with B.J. Blazkowicz, so we have had a lot of experience with this.”
“One important thing that has been part of our DNA for a very long time – and is definitely something that helps create great characters – is that we put story front and centre,” adds Torvenius. “We always start with a strong narrative, and we always end with a narratively strong ending. And our experience is weaving those stories tightly with solid gameplay.
“Having the perfect mix of strong cutscenes and interesting gameplay, driven by an interesting character that is complex with many nuances, that continues to evolve throughout the game, is crucial. A good story survives everything and that’s why we’re always so very focused on getting the story just right.”
Finding a Voice
But all of this hard work would be for naught without finding the right voice for Indiana Jones – not just someone who could step into the role of Indiana Jones and make it their own, but create a version of the character who felt right for this specific point in his life. The team found it in renowned voice actor, Troy Baker, whose portrayal feels so natural that you never doubt that you’re hearing Indiana Jones.
Even better, Baker’s work as a performance capture artist meant that he literally embodied Indiana Jones for the game: “Troy Baker did a phenomenal job in portraying Indy, both in first-person and third, with his extensive research of the character and stellar acting,” says Andersson.
For the game’s writers, it was a match made in heaven:
“Harrison Ford’s depiction of the character has been our starting point when writing the script, and then letting Troy Baker do his magic in honoring that depiction,” explains Björk. “And that’s what has been so amazing about working with Troy Baker – he truly understands Indy as a character, and he has an incredible wealth of knowledge about him and the franchise, and so much love and passion for the story.”
Creating a single character has been a true team effort, across MachineGames and beyond – and it’s what lends Indiana Jones and the Great Circle its magic. You’re not simply moving Indiana Jones around this world-spanning adventure – you’re truly playing as him, and it makes all the difference.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle comes to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (with Game Pass), or Steam on December 9. Premium and Collector’s Editions will offer up to 3 days of early access from December 6.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade.
***
Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle!
INCLUDES:
• Base Game (digital code)
• Up to 3-Day Early Access**
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC†
• Digital Artbook
• Temple of Doom Outfit
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.
YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.
WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.
THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
**Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages.
†DLC availability to be provided at a later date.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Standard Edition
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade.
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.
YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.
WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.
THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
Last week, we asked you to gather together your favorite characters and share them bonding using #PSshare #PSblog. Here are this week’s highlights:
SlashingShadowshares a gaggle of bots gathering at the Crash Site in Astro Bot.
call_me_xaviishares the characters of God of War Ragnarök gathering for a meal.
secondcaptureshares three masked figures gathering to dance in Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess.
jdbolzanshares the characters of Dave the Diver gathering for a toast.
GabeGSalvatoreshares the characters of Death Stranding gathering for a huddle.
Beat_Minerzshares the characters of Red Dead Redemption 2 gathering around a fire.
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Stellar Blade x Nier: Automata
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on December 4, 2024
Next week, we’re headed back to the world of Stellar Blade to celebrate the newly released Nier: Automata DLC and photo mode! Share moments with Eve donning 2B’s outfit using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Garry’s Mod has sold over 25 million copies since going on sale 18 years ago, Facepunch Studios has announced.
The physics sandbox is now over 25.4 million sold, to be exact, since going on sale on PC via Steam back in 2006.
Designer Garry Newman tweeted to reflect on the astonishing sales success of Garry’s Mod, saying: “When Valve first floated the idea of selling Garry’s Mod on Steam I said no because.. ‘who would pay for that?.’
“Well 18 years later, it turns out that 25,560,290 people would. Glad to have been wrong on this one.”
In September, Garry’s Mod was named the best-selling PC exclusive of all-time by the Guinness Book of Records, beating out the likes of World of Warcraft and its expansions. At the time, Newman joked that he “never imagined becoming a world record holder and not be prawn cocktail crisps related.”
Garry’s Mod lets you play with models from Valve games developed on the Source engine, and its enduring popularity has seen it remain in steam’s top 100 most-played games list for years.
In July, Newman said the “Skibidi Toilet guys” had hit him with a DMCA in a wild bit of litigious irony. But soon after, an account purporting to be Skibidi Toilet creator Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom) said he wasn’t behind the claim, and Newman then told IGN that the matter had been “resolved.”
Newman had shared the news about the Skibidi Toilet DMCA, including pasting a screenshot of the letter he was sent. The copyright holder the letter was attributed to was Invisible Narratives, the film and TV production studio that’s partnering with Michael Bay on a Skibidi Toilet film.
The letter Newman posted specifically cited Skibidi Toilet characters Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, and Titan TV Man, saying they were “all registered copyrights that are unique and representative of our brand.” Sure enough, a public catalog search reveals that Invisible Narratives had indeed claimed a copyright for Titan Cameraman and three other unpublished works.
The letter added that “significant revenue is being generated by unauthorized Skibidi Toilet Garry’s Mod games that are being advertised everywhere.” The irony was not lost on Newman, who declared: “can you believe the cheek?” Skidibi Toilet, of course, is largely made with assets from Half-Life 2, and was originally created in Garry’s Mod.
Earlier this year, Facepunch removed all Nintendo-related content on Garry’s Mod – what amounted to 20 years of uploads – from Steam Workshop after receiving a takedown request from Nintendo. Newman is currently working on a successor to Garry’s Mod called S&box.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
: Digital Premium Edition
