Who Is Playing Indiana Jones In The Great Circle Video Game? A Modern Gaming Legend
Bethesda and MachineGames recently unveiled a long-awaited video game in the form of "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle." The legendary video game studio behind "Fallout" and "Skyrim" has been working on a game set within the action/adventure franchise for several years, with the game originally announced back in 2021. But now, we know much more including when the story takes place, what the player can expect, and, rather crucially, who is voicing Indiana Jones. It won't be Harrison Ford, but another icon has stepped up to fill those very big shoes.
Troy Baker will be the man tasked with bringing Indy to life in the much-anticipated game. Ford, for his part, left the role behind with his final turn as the character in last year's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." Now, it falls to Baker, who will get to put his stamp on the hero during his classic era, given that this new game takes place between the events of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Last Crusade." That's no small thing, although it is difficult to think of someone more qualified for the job.
While casual gamers who are here for the "Indiana Jones" of it all may not be familiar with Baker's name, you're almost certainly familiar with his work. Baker has more than 400 credits to his name, with the bulk of that coming through animation and gaming. Not bad for a guy who hasn't even turned 50 yet. Some of his most well-known roles include Joel in "The Last of Us," Red Hood in "Batman: Arkham Knight," and Booker DeWitt in "BioShock Infinite." For Baker, that is truly just the tip of the iceberg.
One legend takes over for another
The idea of having to watch another actor take over as Indiana Jones in the flesh would be a tough ask for people who are so accustomed to Ford in the role. Yes, we had that flashback sequence with River Phoenix in "The Last Crusade" and Sean Patrick Flanery in "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," but neither of those performances came anywhere close to replacing Ford in the minds of audiences. Fortunately, a video game only requires an actor to provide the voice — and, for Baker, that's a tool he's refined over decades in the industry. Much as Ford is an on-screen legend, Baker is one in the voiceover world.
Baker's body of work dates back to the early '90s with roles dubbing anime such as "Lupin III" and "Dragon Ball Z." His work in anime carried him for the better part of a decade, with beloved shows like "Fullmetal Alchemist" under his belt as well. But it's in the world of gaming where Baker has garnered much acclaim, with huge franchises like "Resident Evil," "Fable," and "Call of Duty" to his name. His body of work is truly dizzying.
One of the key things when considering Baker as our new Indiana Jones is that he's put his stamp on many beloved, pre-existing characters in the past with a great deal of success. He's played Conan the Barbarian ("Age of Conan: The Hyborian Adventures"), Hawkeye ("Avengers Assemble"), and Shinnok ("Mortal Kombat X"), just to name a few. He's also played both Batman and The Joker on multiple occasions. That's not something many actors can claim. It is downright difficult to think of someone more qualified for the job.
Troy Baker putting his stamp on Indiana Jones
Undoubtedly, Lucasfilm Games and Bethesda did their diligence when it came to picking the right actor to pull this off. It's not just that Baker has an impressive resume; he surely had to win the team over. To that end, MachinesGames' co-founder and lead game designer Jerk Gustafsson spoke highly of Baker's performance recently in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
"He really brings forward that charm and sense of humor in such a good way. He's also a very big Indiana Jones fan, which is super cool. So he's also very invested in the game."
We got a healthy taste of what Baker is bringing to the role in the official gameplay trailer for "The Great Circle." Does it sound precisely like Harrison Ford's Indy? No, it doesn't. But the essence of the character is there and a great performance isn't just about imitating what came before. It's a small sample size, but it's enough to instill confidence in fans that Bethesda and MachineGames found the right man for the job.
"Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" is set to arrive at some point in 2024. The game will be released on the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. It will also be available on day one on the Xbox Game Pass. You can read the official synopsis for the game below:
Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle," a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Last Crusade." The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them — Indiana Jones.