When you’re heading into a new Indiana Jones adventure, you need a captivating title to set the tone properly. Temple of Doom and Raiders of the Lost Ark say so much yet so little, giving you a great sense of intrigue. Even Dial of Destiny is a decent title, despite the movie’s divisive reception. Now, the forthcoming, Xbox-exclusive Indiana Jones game appears to have had its title unearthed early by a trademark sleuth: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Nope, it shares no affiliation with Kingsman: The Golden Circle or that middling Tom Hanks tech-thriller The Circle (remember that?). According to findings from ‘Kurakasis’, recent trademarks seemingly confirm that game’s title, alongside the appearances of several titular domains. The initial application to trademark Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was submitted in July 2022, according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
The application also supports the notion of mobile gaming, which is likely down to Xbox Game Pass’ support for game streaming on iOS and Android devices. So, you could potentially be taking Indy out on the road with you, and who knows, maybe it’ll emerge as one of the best Xbox Game Pass games out there. But let’s not jump the gun just yet. What makes this title definitive for the new Xbox game is that the registrant is none other than Lucasfilm, the production company founded by Indiana Jones co-creator George Lucas. Oh, and he began some small sci-fi franchise called Star Wars. You may have heard of it.
However, until we hear more about the game (and presumably get its official title confirmed) at the Xbox Developer Direct showcase on January 18, the details of what the Great Circle is are open to speculation. A quick look at episodes of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles doesn’t yield anything, but there is one spin-off novel called Indiana Jones and the Circle of Death.
The synopsis, according to Abe Books, reads as follows: “While investigating some strange incidents at an archaeological dig at Stonehenge in 1913, the young Indiana Jones and his pal Herman encounter a mysterious band of Dark Druids.”
We doubt that it’ll be taking any influence from this, but hey, a fight at Stonehenge sounds like a fun set piece. Nevertheless, we do know from the game’s current and only trailer that it will take place in 1937, one year after Raiders of the Lost Ark. Does the Great Circle refer to an object or a group of characters? Either way, it doesn’t quite have the vigor of other titles in the Indy universe.
Indiana Jones and the Unicorn’s Legacy or Indiana Jones and the Sky Pirates have got intrigue, and they are very real titles too. But the ‘Great Circle’? It just doesn’t fill us with the excitement a good Indy title should do. They could have at least stretched it to be Indiana Jones and the Superfluous Oval…
Regardless, we’re happy to see the iconic adventurer in good hands with developer Machine Games, and hopefully it’ll become one of the best Xbox games available. And, if recent reports and our own Indy-related theories are correct, it may release this year too.