How Troy Baker became hero
family heirloomYou might not think that one of the most famous video game actors in the world would suffer from imposter syndrome.
But, as Troy Baker will tell you, no one is immune.
He is best known for his role as Joel Miller, the protagonist of the post-apocalyptic adventure game The Last of Us, which often received critical acclaim for its storytelling and performances.
He has also appeared in notable series such as BioShock, Uncharted, and Batman: Arkham.
But starring in Raiders of the Lost Ark is another story.
Troy said even for him, playing a character made famous by Oscar nominee Harrison Ford was daunting.
“I said no,” he told BBC Newsbeat, recalling when he first got the job.
“I was scared. I felt the meaning of this role.”
Troy said developer MachineGames’ performance capture team convinced him to change his mind, but he also had to win over one other person.
Todd Howard, the boss of publisher Bethesda, has long dreamed of making an Indiana Jones game and is overseeing the project.
But Troy said he “rolled his eyes” when the actor was first nominated.
Howard felt it would ruin the experience for players who were used to hearing him talk.
“I never thought my success would actually be detrimental to me,” Troy said.
Troy said he had to audition with dozens of other people rather than play the role himself.
The matter ultimately came down to him and another actor. This decision was left to test audiences and “blind taste tests” who had to choose which performance they preferred.
“Todd Howard said they pick you every time,” Troy said.
“I take that as a compliment.
“He said: ‘No, this is a challenge. This is the standard’.”
machine gamesAnticipation for Raiders of the Lost Ark’s first video game appearance in 15 years doesn’t just rest on Troy’s shoulders.
Bethesda’s parent company Zenimax was acquired by Microsoft in 2020, which then acquired Activision Blizzard last year record $69 billion.
The games it acquired as a result of the deal – including Call of Duty and Warcraft – continue to be successful, but its gaming division has not released new internal hits this year.
They hope Indiana Jones can change that.
Troy said the game’s sets were richly crafted, with the crew accurately rendering ships, airships and other locations on a massive motion-capture stage.
That’s not unusual for a hit video game in 2024, but it means The Great Circle needs to sell well to recoup its production costs.
The game will initially release on Xbox and PC, with Microsoft recently announcing plans to release the game on rival platform PlayStation 5.
This angered Xbox fans, who accused Xbox of reneging on its promise to maintain game exclusivity, but the company Says its main goal is to make its games run on as many devices as possible.
machine gamesSwedish developer MachineGames’ creative director Axel Torvenius spoke to Newsbeat as the final touches are being put on The Great Circle ahead of its release.
He didn’t get into the specifics of exclusivity, but said he’s “happy” the game will be widely available.
Axel said he was more concerned with using the team’s expertise to create an adventure that was authentic to the inspiration.
The studio is best known for its reboot of the Wolfenstein franchise.
Like Raiders of the Lost Ark, this 3D shooter’s hero, William “BJ” Blakovitch, fights Nazi enemies, but he uses an array of increasingly destructive guns.
That’s not a good fit for adventurous archaeologists, Axel said.
“That’s not Indiana Jones, that’s not the brand we work with. That’s something else,” he said.
Indiana Jones relies more on stealth than direct confrontation, and the game contains plenty of puzzles.
Axel said the game is also played from a first-person perspective, a decision made early in the game’s development.
“We’ve been trying to make you feel like Indiana Jones, like really stepping into his shoes and seeing the world through his eyes,” he said.
“There’s an intimacy that the third person can’t achieve.”
Christian PreeceMarios Gavrilis, who plays Voss, the villain in “The Circle,” had a slightly less rocky road to the role.
Like Troy, he has worked on video games before, mostly re-dubbing characters from English to German.
This was the first time he was part of the original cast, and his character’s appearance was based on himself.
Marios, who has also appeared in TV shows in Germany, said there is potential for more crossover with video games.
While understanding motion capture performance – Questions Currently at the center of an actors strike – is growing up, he told Newsbeat not everyone appreciates the work they do.
“We’re often called voice actors,” Marios said.
“What we’re actually doing is a full-on show.
“That’s something people forget, like we don’t just do voiceovers.
“It’s the whole body, the whole performance that’s captured.”
machine gamesEarly reviews of the Great Circle show have been positive; Many critics praised Troy’s version of Indiana Jones
It was a relief for the actor, who told Newsbeat he spent his first days on set fearing he would be fired after Todd Howard’s early skepticism.
But, he said, an email from his boss during the taping helped ease his nerves.
“He said, ‘You did a great job,'” Troy said.
“I was like: ‘You have no idea how much I need to hear this right now’.”
The final verdict will be made by players once they get their hands on the game, and Troy said he plans to join them.
“I’ve experienced it in one way as a performer,” he said.
“But there’s nothing better than picking up a controller and now you’re Indiana Jones. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.
“If you get to the end of the game and feel like ‘I’m Indiana Jones,’ then I’ve done my job.”
