This past week at Gamescom, Bethesda and MachineGames showed off a new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. There’s a lot in the two-minute trailer, from in-game looks at combat and puzzles to footage of mo-cap actor Troy Baker portraying the famed archeologist. However, fans noticed a neat connection to a Disneyland ride; Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye.
Writer Tyler Taing screen-grabbed the portion of the trailer that alludes to the iconic ride. In the picture, shared on X by Bethesda, you can spot the reference.
In the replies, other fans have appreciated the shoutout. A few even wonder if the Temple of the Forbidden Eye will appear in the game itself. Bethesda has yet to confirm, and it seems like it may just be a fun Easter Egg.
That said, the reference appears in the “Notes” section. Indiana Jones appears to have a map in his inventory of the temple. It seems odd that a game would include a map of a location you wouldn’t get to visit. But again, it could just be a nice callback.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
For those who haven’t been to Disneyland, Indiana Jones Adventure, originally named Temple of the Forbidden Eye, is a motion vehicle dark ride. It is unique to the California park, although it has a sister ride called Temple of the Crystal Skull at Tokyo DisneySea.
Temple of the Forbidden Eye tells the story of Dr. Jones exploring a cursed temple in India. Guests traverse the ride through various rooms, each with an iconic trap such as a rolling boulder, lava pit, or cluster of beetles. And, of course, there are snakes.
The ride is a lot of fun, and personally one of all-time favorite Disney rides. It would lend itself well to a segment in a game, since it has a good deal of lore behind it. A statue in the temple promises great rewards to explorers—so long as they don’t look into its eyes.
Still, the adventure of Temple of the Forbidden Eye takes place in 1935, two years before Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set. The developers could feasibly retcon the date, or even provide a flashback. But either way, it’s fun that the Disneyland ride is officially canon. And who knows? Maybe the upcoming Indiana Jones ride will get teased as well.
Will the Temple of the Forbidden Eye appear in the upcoming game? We’ll find out for sure once Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on December 9th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will also whip its way onto PlayStation 5 in the spring.
