Indiana Jones and the end of an era: how Microsoft's pivot to limited exclusivity will shape the final half of this generation
The glistening golden idol of Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda will ultimately be shared between two libraries.
About a year-and-a-half-ago, Lucasfilms hoped to adjust their crooked dial of destiny through an exorbitant denouement for their foremost roguish rascal played by Harrison Ford: Indiana Jones. Sorry, Han Solo - the force awoke, yet you were laid to rest. Though Kingdom of the Crystal Skull features unmistakably Spielbergian flourishes, from its partial framing as a West Side Story prelude to a literal dissolution of Americana, its extraterrestrial curiosities were incongruous with the series’ focus on earthly mysticism. Thus, returning to its archaeological roots promised to play familiar notes in the vein of John Williams: Nazis, cobwebs, caves, and conspiracies woven into the matinee tapestry of 20th century pulp-serial imagination. Furthermore, its depiction of the 1960’s chilliest days, wherein NASA’s space programme would find itself supported by former German agents, would make for a compelling man-out-of-time mystery: is it possible to forgive the past in the act of preservation?
Unfortunately, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was a creaky conclusion to a series of routinely taut tales: a beleaguered two-and-a-half hour trip with the severity of a funeral procession. Raiders of the Lost Ark, for instance, was a tight two hours; his adventures are globetrotting jaunts, meant to be delivered at a breakneck speed. Choosing to reflect upon Indiana Jones’ mortality could make for an apt meditation on the end of a particular era in Hollywood history, yet its leaden narrative and weightless setpieces betrayed the essential verve of the series’ storytelling. This is not Star Wars, nor Blade Runner: its world is not the primary appeal, its heroes’ rugged magnetism is the ultimate draw. Ford’s age notwithstanding, requesting audiences to engage with a fleet footed franchise at a pensive pace is a stark ask.
Notably, the film began with a de-aged Harrison Ford upon an urgent mission: recovering the Spear of Longinus from the Third Reich. This technical tactic was a deliberate commentary on the film’s concerns - hence the central MacGuffin. However, its brazen implementation suggested Disney were keen on encasing the series’ iconography in a timeless chrysalis, consistent with their depiction of a young Mark Hamil on The Mandalorian. The message was evident: we own your character and your likeness. These stories will continue to mine our second most deadly fossil fuel in nostalgia until audiences are no longer invigorated by the sound of a crisp whip crack. Our current entertainment climate is resistant to investing in new properties, thus encouraging fatal incursions to the centre of our collective cultural memory. Regrettably, it is easier to convince Amazon to invest $250 million into a pro-industrialist Santa Claus fantasy with a promise of a “commercial mythos cinematic universe” than a $5 million contemporary drama.
Therefore, Xbox Game Studios’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is acutely consistent with Disney’s own strategy: a story from the heyday of Indiana Jones’ archaeological inquisitions, featuring Harrison Ford’s face and Troy Baker’s voice. There is a further suspension of disbelief in charting MachineGames’ diverse biomes, from leaping through caverns to sliding through temples - more athletic and daring than live-action technologies could achieve, much less have captured in the 1980’s. Additionally, its standing as an interquel allows for its narrative to serve as an addendum, rather than a revision: a fantastical fable with familiar music cues. Its marketing has been remarkably effective thus far, embracing Indy’s investigative acumen above skillful skirmishes. A major part of his appeal is the drastic diametric between his career as a mild-mannered professor and a brash explorer; providing an insight into his analytical mind respects the series’ central text.
Along with Star Wars, Indiana Jones’ anamorphic framing changed the visual language of Hollywood blockbusters.
The articulation of its animations and the choreography of its cutscenes are to a highly cinematic standard: an echelon that has eluded Xbox throughout this generation. Evidently, MachineGames are keen stewards of Spielberg’s style, exhibiting both canny blocking in still scenes and illuminating environmental cues in gameplay. Unfortunately, though this iteration of the character appears to be purposefully closer to the character of yore, its metatextual considerations may not be quite as sound. Recently, Microsoft opened their warchest of exclusivity to their sworn foe: this great circle will be drawn upon the PlayStation 5 next year. Though Disney’s creative decisions led to Dial of Destiny’s disappointment, is Microsoft’s corporate strategy a boulder blow to their flailing first-party project?
It’s not all about fisticuffs and firefights, you have to rely upon your wit and whip to adapt to your environment.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - on a technicality - has emerged as Xbox’s most successful title of this past decade. This October, Black Ops 6 became not only the best opening weekend in the franchise’s storied history, but 75% of purchases made within the United Kingdom came at a premium price on PlayStation consoles. Conversely, 15% of players bought the title on a PC, while 11% own it outright on Xbox. Considering that expenditures on non-mobile subscription platforms increased by 16% in October, Microsoft has a robust playerbase on both its own systems and Sony’s series. Though these percentages pass an initial optics test, the existential question one may ask of Xbox is if this model of mercantilism justifies their hardware production.
Granted, as a purveyor of fine arts and coveted relics, displaying the commanding Xbox Games Studios’ logo on a PlayStation console prior to its performance is akin to switching a golden idol for a bag of sand: its weight is not comparable. Though PlayStation Studios’ emblem appears on the Xbox through MLB: The Show, that Indiana Jones - a marquee title procured from their acquisition of Bethesda - will ultimately swing to the platform suggests Microsoft are willing to play ball with their mortal nemesis when it comes to their most illustrious titles. PlayStation would not bring God of War: Ragnarök to either Xbox Series, as the install base is negligible against their own; Xbox needs PlayStation’s 3:1 ownership share. Principally, if the majority of Xbox owners access first-party titles through Games Pass, the amount that would purchase a game would not surfeit their sales targets. Next year, when The Great Circle appears on PlayStation, they can point to both its cumulative player count and outright sales, with these dual channels of engagement suggesting the game is as competitive as Sony’s own brands.
The Great Circle is shaping up to be Microsoft’s first unambiguous, mainstream hit, drawing upon the goodwill of MachineGames’ Wolfenstein revival and the desire for a mid-generation jaunt to challenge a stagnating industry. Nevertheless, it may indicate a further blurring of commercial lines; licences will matter far more than hardware. Hey, that topic sounds familiar!
