Indiana Jones is finally back. After years of mediocre movie tie-ins and that one point-and-click adventure we all still talk about, MachineGames is swinging in with a massive first-person epic. But there’s a catch. Or, well, a secondary chapter. Before the base game even hits most consoles, people are already buzzing about the Indiana Jones and the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC. It’s a mouthful. Honestly, naming conventions in gaming have gotten a bit out of hand, but the substance here is what matters.
We’re looking at a story expansion that promises to flesh out a narrative already spanning the globe. You’ve got the Vatican. You’ve got Sukhothai. You’ve got the pyramids. But The Order of Giants is a specific beast. It’s part of the Premium Edition and the Collector’s Edition, basically serving as the "Season Pass" content for those who want to see Indy’s journey through to the very end.
Why the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC is confusing people
MachineGames is known for the Wolfenstein series. They do narrative weight better than almost anyone in the FPS space. So, when they announce a story-based DLC, people pay attention. But the confusion usually stems from how it’s packaged. You see it listed in the digital storefronts—Xbox, Steam—and it looks like a pre-order bonus. It’s not. It’s a full-fledged story expansion.
Think of it like The Old Hunters for Bloodborne or Phantom Liberty for Cyberpunk 2077. It’s meant to be a chunky piece of content. The Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC isn't just a skin or a gold revolver. It’s a narrative pivot. Bethesda has been somewhat tight-lipped about the exact plot beats, but the title itself—The Order of Giants—points toward some of the more esoteric, fringe-science archaeological theories Indy loves to debunk (or discover are terrifyingly real).
The "Giants" in the Room: Real Archaeology vs. Pulp Fiction
Archaeology in Indiana Jones has always been about 10% history and 90% "what if this myth was actually a death trap?" The Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC seems to be leaning into the myth of the Nephilim or perhaps ancient megalithic builders. In the real world, "Giants" are a staple of pseudo-archaeology. You’ve probably seen the fake skeletons on Facebook. But in Indy's 1937, these myths carry weight.
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The Order of Giants likely refers to a secret society or a lost lineage. In the base game, we’re dealing with the "Great Circle," a concept where ancient sites like Giza and Easter Island align perfectly on the globe. It’s a real-world theory (popularized by folks like Jim Alison) that scientists mostly scoff at but makes for a killer video game plot. The DLC will almost certainly explore a specific node on this circle that the main campaign misses.
What’s actually in the box?
If you’re dropping the extra cash for the Premium Edition, you aren't just getting the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC. You get the base game, obviously. You get three days of early access—which is the new industry standard for making people feel FOMO—and a digital artbook. There’s also the Temple of Doom outfit.
But the DLC is the anchor.
MachineGames likes to play with perspective. In Wolfenstein, they used DLC to show different sides of the resistance. For Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the DLC might shift the tone slightly. Maybe it’s more puzzle-heavy. Maybe it leans harder into the supernatural. We know Troy Baker is voicing Indy, and he’s doing a scarily good Harrison Ford impression. Having him back in the recording booth for a full expansion means the dialogue quality won't dip.
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Technical Hurdles and Xbox Exclusivity
Let's address the elephant. Or the whip. This is an Xbox and PC title first. The Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC will be available day one on those platforms for those with the right edition. PS5 players? You’re waiting until 2025. It’s a weird time to be a gamer. You see a trailer, you get hyped, and then you realize your hardware choice dictates when you get to play.
Performance-wise, the DLC will utilize the same id Tech engine as the main game. That means 60 FPS on Series X. It means incredibly dense environments. MachineGames is obsessed with "tactile" gameplay. You don't just click a button to open a jar; you rotate the stick. You don't just find a map; you hold it up in your hands and look at it. This philosophy will carry into the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC. If anything, they might get even more experimental with the mechanics once the main story is out of the way.
Is it worth the pre-order?
Honestly? It depends on your relationship with Game Pass. If you’re a subscriber, you get the base game for free. But you don't get the DLC. To get the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC, Game Pass users usually have to buy a "Premium Upgrade." It’s a clever way for Microsoft to extract $30-$40 from people who are technically playing the "free" version.
Is it worth it? MachineGames hasn't missed on a story expansion yet. The Old Blood was basically a standalone game. If The Order of Giants follows that trajectory, it’s a no-brainer for Indy fans.
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Breaking down the Great Circle timeline
The game is set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. This is "Prime Indy." He’s not the jaded guy from Dial of Destiny or the slightly-too-old guy from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He’s in his absolute 1930s peak. This matters for the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC because it means the stakes are high. The Nazis are at their most dangerous. The world is on the brink.
Actionable Steps for Players
- Check your edition: If you bought the Standard Edition, you do not own the Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC. You will have to buy it separately later.
- Update your drivers: If you're on PC, id Tech engines are notoriously picky with older GPU drivers. Get ahead of it.
- Watch the films: Seriously. MachineGames has packed the environment with "blink and you'll miss it" references to the Lucasfilm lore. Knowing the difference between a Nurhachi urn and a fake will probably help your immersion.
- Manage storage: With high-res textures and the detail MachineGames puts in, expect a massive file size. Clear out those old installs now.
The Great Circle The Order of Giants DLC represents a commitment to single-player storytelling in an era where everyone is trying to make a live-service shooter. That alone makes it worth watching. It’s about the whip, the hat, and the weird, wonderful history that never actually happened, but we all wish did.
Stick to the path. Watch the floor tiles. And whatever you do, don't look at the light if they open a box. You know how this ends.