The team at MachineGames behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has cultivated a very particular “culture”: developers share diverse hobbies to strengthen workplace relationships and collaborate more effectively.

Producing a AAA video game can take several years, which makes it essential for developers to share a cohesive vision and maintain connections that encourage collaboration. Sometimes this bond comes from working together on past projects; other times it emerges through unusual hobbies – like a “fight club” in the studio’s basement. Yes, the creators of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have spent part of their breaks engaging in this activity.

This was revealed in an interview with The Game Business. Jens Andersson, the game’s design director, explained: “There’s a ‘fight club’ in the basement.” Speaking with a comical tone, he added: “Our animation director knows jiu-jitsu, at a very high level, and he has prepared this where people can come down during lunch and get beaten, more or less.”

“There are a lot of hobbies at MachineGames. Many people like sports shooting. It’s a very nerdy culture. We have LEGO building on Thursdays.” Pete Ward, Sound Director, joined in: “We’ve been very busy with the game over the last few years. But we have team members who play Floorball, which is like indoor hockey. There are a handful of those different sports. We are also learning Swedish, and it is something I should put more effort into. I’ve been living in Sweden for 10 years, and I have to get better at that.”

The main takeaway was the importance of connecting with coworkers outside development. “These opportunities offer different disciplines to people and the opportunity to connect inside and outside of work. They also help foster better working relationships. Now you know this level designer because you’ve been speaking Swedish with him, and you can collaborate on something better.”

Order of the Giants DLC Incoming

Fans will soon have a good reason to return to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The Order of the Giants DLC is scheduled to release on September 4 and promises to expand the base game with a wealth of new content. According to MachineGames, finishing this additional adventure can take 5–6 hours, with even more playtime if you aim for 100% completion.

Source: 3djuegos