Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Big Studios: MachineGames Shows the Power of Union

While layoffs continue to haunt the gaming industry, MachineGames emerges as a rare example of resilience, showing with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle the unmatched value of keeping teams together over the decades.

With the gameplay preview, it became clear: the new melee combat system is fast, brutal, and requires more than simple reflexes. In one of the first challenges, inside the Vatican's underground, players need to use blocks, parries, and grabs to survive the brawls. The impact of the blows, the sounds of the fights, and the realism of the facial expressions show the absurd level of polish achieved.

MachineGames, formed by the veterans of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (2004) and The Darkness (2007), built a reputation as masters in blending deep narrative with intense gameplay. In Wolfenstein, they gave humanity to B.J. Blazkowicz and brought us closer to the villains in an uncomfortable and memorable way. Now, they unite everything they have learned in two decades to deliver an Indiana Jones that promises to be the pinnacle of their careers.

As the original text highlighted, "it's a Michelin standard of brawling" — something that is only possible thanks to a team that has stayed together and grown together.

Meanwhile, other great teams suffer: Arkane Austin, responsible for Prey and Dishonored, was dismantled after the failure of Redfall. The current gaming industry, marked by volatility and cuts, is destroying the kind of institutional knowledge that is essential to create masterpieces.

Baldur's Gate 3, another recent example, was only possible thanks to the perseverance of Larian Studios and their accumulated work since Divinity: Original Sin. Obsidian Entertainment also outlined a bold plan: they intend to exist for 100 years, focusing on sustainable projects.

If publishers continue to ignore the value of the knowledge of veteran teams in favor of quick profits, we will certainly see fewer "Indy Jones" and "BG3" in the future. Instead of legendary games, we will have studios starting from scratch, making the same known mistakes.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is more than a promising game: it is living proof that patience, trust, and continuity generate unique works. The hope is that the industry begins to value this long-term construction — or we risk seeing the creativity of games disappear, like a forgotten artifact in the ruins of time.