‘Indiana Jones And The Great Circle’ Producer Says New Companion Gina Lombardi “Serves As An Intellectual Equal To Indy”
In a tease of the upcoming game that’s sure to raise more than a few hackles, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle producer Craig Derrick has revealed that the game’s narrative will present Indy’s new companion, Gina Lombardi, as the archaeologist’s “intellectual equal”.
The overall Lucasfilm executive producer, whose credits in addition to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also include the Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Acolyte television series, offered this insight into the soon-to-be-introduced Lombardi during a general production interview given to his employer’s official website.
Beginning with a reflection on the game’s overall premise, Derrick asserted, “For an Indiana Jones adventure to truly shine, it needs a globe-trotting journey with a strong historical element—something grounded in reality yet wrapped in mystique or relevance. With The Great Circle, Todd Howard and the team at MachineGames struck gold by centering the story on a real-world mystery: a number of ancient sites around the world align on a perfect, unbroken circle, yet the reason behind this alignment has eluded people for centuries.”
Noting that The Great Circle‘s overall concept “blew my mind”, the producer then recalled, “The more I learned, the more fascinated I became with the idea.”
“We delved into what kind of MacGuffin could be linked to all these sites and how each location could be authentically represented within the context of Indy’s life,” he said. “This process of exploration and discovery fueled the world-building of the game from the very beginning, ensuring that each aspect of the story was both true to the character and engaging for the player.”
Turning to how this desire for character authenticity was ultimately translated into The Great Circle‘s actual gameplay, Derrick then detailed, “From uncovering and investigating the central mystery of the story to tackling unique situations along the way and outsmarting traps designed to keep the world’s secrets hidden.”
“We wanted the player’s primary focus to be on using their brains before their brawn, although punching bad guys is also a lot of fun,” he explained. “In many ways, we envisioned this game as a spiritual successor to Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and other classic adventure games. It’s about thinking, discovering, tracking down clues, and sometimes just a bit of luck to get through the various traps, tombs, and threats encountered—all while capturing that over-the-top Saturday matinee feel that defines an Indiana Jones adventure.”
As his brief interview drew to a close, Derrick finally turned to the topic of the aforementioned Lombardi and her role in Jones’ upcoming adventure.
“Gina is the perfect ally for Indy,” explained the producer. “She’s endlessly curious, incredibly sharp, and has a personal stake in the journey. She not only challenges and assists the player but also serves as an intellectual equal to Indy, bringing depth to the adventure.”
“Gina adds a personal dimension to the story, making the journey about more than just finding another artifact for a museum,” Derrick concluded. “I believe players are really going to connect with her and root for her story.”
Ultimately, whether or not Lombardi turns out to be a generic, Lucasfilm-standard girlboss or a character whose intelligence is weighed out in equal parts with her own unique flaws and struggles remains to be seen when Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hits the Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms this December 9th (or, if you have a PlayStation 5, sometime in the early half of 2025).
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