An entire generation of children learned global geography thanks to 1980s edutainment series, Carmen Sandiego. Now, an entirely new generation of kids (and nostalgic adults) will be able to do the same, as Gameloft, HarperCollins Productions, and Netflix Games have revealed a new entry in the video game franchise, simply titled Carmen Sandiego.
This new game is inspired by the 2019 Netflix Carmen Sandiego TV series, where Sandiego is a protagonist and heroic figure working to take down the evil organisation known as VILE. For those familiar with the original back story, VILE was an organisation founded by Sandiego herself, but it was repurposed for the Netflix show.
In the game, you’ll embody Carmen, and work alongside a mysterious character named ‘Player’ as they travel the world to investigate and take down VILE. In action-adventure fashion, you will chart a course through various real-world locations, and take part in puzzle gameplay to unearth the operations of VILE.
You can see slices of this journey in the new trailer for the game, revealing a distinct shift in gameplay style, as compared to the original adventures:
If you look closely, you can also see that Sandiego will be visiting Brisbane, Australia in her travels, as well as iconic locations like Cairo, Egypt, Tokyo, Japan, and Reykjavic, Iceland. While Brisbane is a bit of an outlier on this list – it doesn’t typically feature as a major tourist attraction – its inclusion makes a bit more sense when you consider Gameloft has a major office in Brisbane.
Sydney and Melbourne always get the spotlight as representations of Australia, so it’s nice to see some love for Brisbane here.
Notably, the trailer does also reveal hints as to what to expect from the game’s announced “ACME Files” mode. Per the game’s publishers, there will be a “classic mode” in the game which is “a heartfelt tribute to the Carmen Sandiego games of the ’80s.”
We’ll have to wait to see what this mode encompasses, but it does sound very promising. The original point-and-click investigation-style gameplay of the original Carmen Sandiego titles remains iconic, and including it in this modern reboot is most appreciated.
As announced, Carmen Sandiego is set to launch in Q1 2025. It will be available first on Netflix for mobile, and then it will launch for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
