Gameloft and HarperCollins Productions have announced Carmen Sandiego, a modern single-player puzzle-adventure game that’s a reboot of the popular edutainment hit of the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’ll be based on the original ‘80s IP (though it visually resembles the recent Netflix animated series that aired from 2019 to 2021 — and to that end, the publishers note that a live-action Carmen Sandiego film is also in the works at Netflix), and will launch first on Netflix in the first quarter of 2025, with PC (via Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch later in the same quarter. Gameloft and HarperCollins say there’ll 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.
In this game, you’ll take on the role of Carmen Sandiego, making full exploit of espionage and high-tech gadgets to defeat the evil VILE. “In this game, you’re no longer chasing Carmen—you’re Carmen,” the publishers told us. “The change from being the pursuer to being Carmen herself offers a fresh take on the gameplay, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in her world of espionage and globetrotting adventures. Another character you see at the beginning of the trailer is “Player” from the Netflix series, who is also a nod to an 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 helping you navigate missions, solve puzzles, and outsmart VILE agents.”
We asked about the core gameplay and potential Easter eggs, and the team told us, “The game features all the investigative fun of the original core game (collecting clues and tracking VILE agents around the world) combined with an all-new, immersive exploration of cities on Earth,” they told us. “We’ve also added a classic mode called ‘The Acme Files,’ which is a heartfelt homage to Carmen Sandiego’s 80s games. Nostalgic gamers, as well as fans of the Netflix series, will also find hidden Easter eggs throughout the game’s locations—little surprises we can’t wait for the community to discover!”
Stay tuned as we get closer to the release date of the modern Carmen Sandiego game, which will take place in the first quarter of 2025.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Editor-in-Chief of Previews and host of IGN’s weekly Xbox Show, Podcast unlockedand our occasional interview program, IGN without filters. He’s a guy from North Jersey, so it’s a “Taylor ham,” not a “pork roll.” Talk to him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
