TL;DR
A 15-minute gameplay video for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 has surfaced, showing early-game footage from what appears to be the title's introductory sequence. This marks the first concrete look at how MachineGames' first-person action-adventure will perform on Nintendo's next-generation hardware, a critical test for both the console's technical capabilities and the franchise's handheld viability.
What Happened
Nintendo Switch 2 owners finally got their first raw look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in motion, as a 15-minute gameplay video emerged online on Thursday, April 30, 2026, showing footage from an early portion of the game. The video, reported by Nintendo Everything, provides the first pure gameplay demonstration—not a trailer or curated sizzle reel—of MachineGames' title running on Nintendo's new hardware, offering a direct window into frame rate, draw distance, and control responsiveness.
Key Facts
- The gameplay video runs 15 minutes and was first reported by Nintendo Everything on April 30, 2026.
- The footage is taken from an early portion of the game, likely the tutorial or introductory mission sequence.
- MachineGames, the developer behind the modern Wolfenstein series, is handling the Switch 2 port, marking their first title on a Nintendo platform.
- The game was originally released on Xbox Series X|S and PC in December 2024, making this a late-cycle port arriving roughly 16 months after the initial launch.
- The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in March 2026, meaning this is one of the earliest third-party AAA ports to receive dedicated gameplay coverage on the new system.
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person action-adventure title set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games.
- The video surfaced via unofficial channels, as Nintendo has not yet released an official Switch 2 trailer for the game.
Breaking It Down
The appearance of raw, uncurated gameplay for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 is a significant milestone for both the platform and the title. Unlike the heavily edited sizzle reels and announcement trailers that typically accompany a game's reveal, this 15-minute video offers an unfiltered look at performance metrics—frame rate stability, texture resolution, loading times, and control latency. For a game built on the id Tech 7 engine, which powers DOOM Eternal and demands high-end PC hardware to run at 60 frames per second, the Switch 2 port represents a genuine technical challenge. The early-portion footage suggests MachineGames has prioritized maintaining a stable 30 frames per second target, a common compromise for handheld-capable AAA ports, though the video's unofficial nature means precise frame rate data remains unverified.
The 16-month gap between the original December 2024 launch and this April 2026 Switch 2 footage positions Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as a late-cycle port—a test case for whether Nintendo's new hardware can attract AAA titles that skipped the original Switch entirely.
This timing is strategically important. The original Nintendo Switch famously missed major third-party releases like Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Cyberpunk 2077, largely due to hardware limitations. The Switch 2, with its rumored custom Nvidia Tegra T239 processor and 8GB to 12GB of RAM, is designed to close that gap. MachineGames' willingness to bring a demanding first-person title to the platform—especially one built on id Tech 7, which relies on advanced lighting and texture streaming—signals that developers believe the Switch 2 can handle modern AAA workloads. However, the 15-minute video appears to show reduced texture detail and lower shadow resolution compared to the Xbox Series X version, suggesting compromises were necessary to achieve playable performance.
The choice to show early-game footage is also telling. Tutorial and introductory sequences are typically the most optimized portions of any game, as they must run flawlessly to avoid frustrating new players. If the video had shown a dense, NPC-filled hub area like the Vatican City section of the original release, performance concerns would be more apparent. By showing a linear, combat-light opening, MachineGames may be controlling the narrative around the port's quality—though the 15-minute length provides enough footage for technical analysts to begin assessing draw distances, pop-in, and frame pacing.
What Comes Next
The immediate future for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 depends on several factors, including Nintendo's official marketing schedule and MachineGames' post-launch support plans.
- Official Nintendo Direct or Showcase (May–June 2026): Nintendo is expected to host a Switch 2-focused Direct in the coming weeks, likely featuring official gameplay trailers for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Metroid Prime 4, and other third-party ports. This Direct will provide confirmed performance targets, resolution details, and a release date.
- Digital Foundry Technical Analysis (Within 2–4 weeks): Specialist outlets like Digital Foundry or NX Gamer will likely publish frame rate and resolution analyses based on the leaked video, offering definitive metrics on how the port compares to the Xbox Series X and PC versions.
- Release Date Announcement: Bethesda and MachineGames have not announced a specific launch date for the Switch 2 version. Given the April 2026 footage leak, a Q3 2026 release window—August or September—seems plausible, aligning with the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.
- Pre-Order and Pricing Details: The Switch 2 version is expected to retail at $59.99, matching the standard next-gen price point, though Nintendo's first-party titles have historically held value longer than third-party ports.
The Bigger Picture
This story sits at the intersection of two major trends: AAA portability and late-cycle cross-generation releases. The Nintendo Switch 2 is positioning itself as a platform that can run games originally built for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 with acceptable compromises—a proposition the original Switch could not fulfill. If Indiana Jones and the Great Circle delivers a competent port, it will validate the Switch 2 as a viable home for demanding first-person titles, potentially opening the door for DOOM: The Dark Ages, Starfield, and other Bethesda properties to follow.
The late-cycle port trend also has implications for the broader industry. As console generations mature, publishers increasingly rely on re-releases and ports to extract additional revenue from older titles. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arriving 16 months after its initial launch is not unusual—The Witcher 3 came to the original Switch nearly four years after its debut—but it underscores the Switch 2's role as a long-tail revenue generator for AAA publishers. For Bethesda, which is now fully integrated into Microsoft's publishing apparatus, the Switch 2 port represents a chance to reach an audience that may have skipped the Xbox version entirely, expanding the game's total addressable market by an estimated 20–30 million potential players over the console's lifecycle.
Key Takeaways
- [15-Minute Gameplay Reveal]: The first raw, uncurated footage of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 has surfaced, showing early-game performance and visual quality.
- [Technical Compromises Expected]: The id Tech 7 engine port likely targets 30 FPS with reduced texture and shadow detail compared to Xbox Series X, based on early analysis of the leaked video.
- [Late-Cycle Port Strategy]: Arriving 16 months after the original December 2024 launch, this port tests whether the Switch 2 can attract AAA titles that skipped the original Switch.
- [Broader Industry Signal]: A successful port would validate the Switch 2 as a platform for demanding first-person games, potentially accelerating ports of DOOM: The Dark Ages and Starfield.
