Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Is Already in SERIOUS Trouble...

Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes... (Sorry, I had to)

The upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle game from Bethesda is already shaping up to be a massive disaster before it even officially launches. The latest blow to the game’s reception comes from discovering that Xbox is not allowing any critics to post reviews or share their thoughts until the game is available to the public through early access on December 5. This kind of embargo typically spells bad news for launch, as most companies excited to get the hype train started prior to launch have the embargo date well before the release. When reviews drop simultaneously with early access - that is a major red flag. Microsoft and Bethesda aren't showing a ton of confidence with the game's ability to garner any substantial positive feedback.

Adding to this perception of trouble is how Bethesda made the decision to disable dislikes on the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This approach NEVER inspires any confidence in the fanbase. If they can't handle feedback from a trailer, it tells me they don't care about your opinion. As a customer, having an opinion is your right, and them taking that away from you is a massive turn off.

The move has only further fueled even more skepticism leading up to the launch, with many folks now questioning whether the publisher is fully aware of the negative perception being created surrounding the game in certain corners of the gaming community... and that sentiment is only growing as time passes.

Friend of the channel, Endymion (@EndymionYT) also weighed in on the dire state of the game’s performance before launch. In a tweet, he stated:

"Game has less than 200 preorders from what I’m told from one major retailer in America (physical obviously). I know it’s on Game Pass but still, 200 overall is abysmal no matter how you slice it." 

While the game’s availability on Game Pass could account for a lower physical preorder number, a figure as shockingly low as 200 units suggests that the title has COMPLETELY failed to generate any excitement or confidence among the majority of gamers, even those like myself who prefer owning physical copies.

This isn’t the first sign that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is struggling to connect with its intended audience. The term “modern audience” (above) became synonymous with this game after its initial showcase by Bethesda, signaling another major red flag in attempt to cater to contemporary social trends. This approach consistently alienates core gamers who value true authenticity and timeless storytelling over heavy-handed attempts to modernize beloved franchises. There are too many red flags in the patterns being displayed along the way here to ignore...

To be honest, it's really disheartening, because when I first heard of this game, I gotta be honest, as an Indiana Jones fan (ok - at least the original trilogy), I was really looking forward to the potential out of this one.

From what’s been shown so far, many feel like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle strays too far away from the adventurous spirit that made the franchise iconic, raising questions about whether Bethesda truly understands the appeal of the character.

The challenges don’t end there. The lack of preorders, the embargoed reviews, and the deliberate silencing of negative feedback on the trailer all paint an extremely grim picture for the game’s future. A game that reportedly has over 130 gigs worth of install space to account for...

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle should have been a flagship title for Microsoft and Xbox out of Bethesda, especially with a name as legendary as Indiana Jones attached to it. Instead, nope. It's already being written off by many as yet another casualty of the gamergate war with misguided attempts to pander to audiences who were never invested in the franchise to begin with.

As the December 5 early access date quickly approaches, Bethesda and Xbox have little time to turn things around. If these early signs are anything to go by, the game may face a fate similar to other recent big-budget flops, cementing it as a reminder for the industry. Indiana Jones deserves better—and so do the fans. Don't hold your breath on this one, but hey, maybe someday, we'll be pleasantly surprised?

Hey... we can hope.

~Smash