If you thought the upcoming video game Indian Jones and the Great Circle had any chance of telling a great story free of today’s oh-so-common social and political messaging, think again.
A recent behind-the-scenes video from the game’s publisher, Bethesda Softworks, makes it clear where the storytellers’ priorities are.
One small portion of the video, no longer than a few seconds, has many fans already giving up on the game, which is set to debut sometime this year.
The clip features the game’s “senior narrative designer,” Edward Curtis-Sivess.
Most fans were likely put off before Curtis-Sivess even said a word.
His shirt, featuring an LGBT pride flag, said plenty on its own.
Then, he went and made things even worse. Once he opened his mouth, many had their hopes for the game completely dashed.
“Now we have the opportunity to tell a new Indiana Jones story for a modern gaming audience,” Curtis-Sivess said.
Do you trust the developers of this game?
Curtis-Sivess then goes on to sell viewers on the game’s controversial decision to use a first-person view.
But that one phrase — “for a modern gaming audience” — is likely where many fans’ thoughts lingered as he kept speaking.
For many, that term is associated with unnecessarily preachy, unnatural, politically one-sided storytelling.
Given that fact and his shirt, it’s not difficult to see why many gamers had a hard time giving Curis-Sivess the benefit of the doubt.
What is the “modern” gaming audience? Is it the minority that are offended by everything and need the game to play itself? These things are not crafted to deliver a memorable experience, they’re there to repay a licensing fee. https://t.co/RkiPovQuTJ
— Modern Gaming Journalist (@DicusPicus) January 22, 2024
Soon as I hear the term “modern gaming audience” it goes from a preorder to maybe GameFly in the future.
There is no phrase in the English Language that murders my hype faster. https://t.co/c5PaWHVWun
— Merciless (@Emperyon) January 20, 2024
Definitely no, not after watching this.
“Modern gaming audience”. Same BS writing just like Disney’s Indian Jones. pic.twitter.com/lpnxu0MOas— Zansei (@OtakuPyun) January 20, 2024
Perhaps this all shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. After all, it is Bethesda behind the game.
The company’s most recent game Starfield — largely considered a disappointment — was heavily criticized for placing undue emphasis on promoting hyper-partisan gender ideology.
As reported by Bounding Into Comics, the game allows players to pick their pronouns and sees the player interact with a transgender clone who “comes out” to the player character during the story.
