Gameloft and HarperCollins Productions have announced Carmen Sandiego, a new single-player puzzle-adventure game relaunch of the popular edutainment hit from the 1980’s and 1990’s. This one will be based on the original 1980’s IP (though it visually resembles the recent Netflix animated series that ran from 2019-2021 – and on a related note, the publishers note that a live-action Carmen Sandiego movie is also in the works at Netflix), and it will launch first on Netflix in Q1 of 2025, and will follow later in the same quarter for PC (via Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Gameloft and HarperCollins say there will be a story-driven campaign and “classic modes” (more on that below). Check out the first trailer above and the first screenshots in the image gallery below.
You’ll get to play as Carmen Sandiego in this game, complete with espionage and using high-tech gadgets in the effort to defeat the evil VILE. “In this game, you’re no longer chasing Carmen—you are Carmen,” the publishers told us. “The shift from being the pursuer to being Carmen herself offers a fresh take on the gameplay, allowing players to fully engage with her world of espionage and globe-trotting adventure. The other character you see at the start of the trailer is ‘Player’ from the Netflix Series, who is also a reference to the unseen live-action figure from the 1994 animated series Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Player now serves as Carmen’s sidekick. This means you experience the game entirely from Carmen’s perspective, with Player assisting you in navigating missions, solving puzzles, and outsmarting VILE operatives.”
We asked about core gameplay and potential Easter eggs, and the team told us, “It features all of the investigative fun of the original core game loop (collecting clues & tracking VILE operatives around the world) combined with brand new on the ground immersive exploration of cities,” they told us. “We have also included a classic mode called ‘The Acme Files,’ which is a heartfelt tribute to the Carmen Sandiego games of the ’80s. Nostalgic players as well as fans of the Netflix series will also find hidden Easter eggs throughout the game’s locations—little surprises we are excited for the community to discover!”
Stay tuned for more on the new Carmen Sandiego game as its Q1 2025 release date gets closer.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our occasional interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
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