Issue #102: The World is Watching…
… Double Fine. And soon a documentary about The Dig. And the World Cup. And us, probably.
Welcome to The Adventurer!
If you feel like you haven’t seen a lot of us recently, you would be right. No, we didn’t shut down after a hundred issues; instead, the CEO graciously permitted us to watch the World Cup over the last few weeks1. Frankly, with Norway facing England in tomorrow’s Quarterfinals… that might be the end of this whole operation. Sides have been chosen, and the outcome will probably affect Mojo forever2.
All eyes were, of course, on the US-Belgium game a few days ago, after the President told FIFA to conveniently forget Balogun’s red card. And after the subsequent trashing by Belgium, said President once again had words.
Moving right along…
The biggest news of… well, probably the year, maybe even longer… is Double Fine escaping Microsoft/Xbox’s axe by yet again going indie. Tim’s statement:
Once again, Double Fine Productions will be an independent studio.
We’re thankful to everyone at Xbox for seven great years together, and for working with us to reach an outcome which preserves our history and culture, and returns ownership of our games to us.
To everyone who has reached out to us these past few weeks: Thank you so much for all your kind words, we’ve been deeply touched by all your messages. We will share more news soon on what comes next.
Your continued support is greatly appreciated,
Tim & All at Double Fine
There’s a lot to unpack there, and though many’s shoot-from-the-hip reaction is that it’s universally a good thing – which is partly true – we’re also stepping into dangerous waters. What kind of funding, if any, Double Fine has is an unknown at the time of writing. Still, it’s hard not to be excited by a truly independent Double Fine. More to come, I’m sure.
In lighter news, The Dig is getting a documentary! Danish film editor – Golden Globe voting Danish film editor – Johan Albrechtsen is close to releasing a long-form video on the game, and the trailer looks pretty sweet.
Sean Clark, Michael Land, the gang is all there. A good reminder to check out our Secret History article on the game to reminisce about The Dig – we treat you so fine.
That’s about it – now go enjoy the not-at-all-corrupt World Cup.
🇳🇴 Remi
This Week’s Trivia: The Dig
We don’t have a whole lot of funsies Dig trivia, but here’s one where the game’s spider appears in The Curse of Monkey Island.
Soundtrack of the Week: Also The Dig
I mean, good grief, what a banger…
This Week’s Poll: Even More The Dig
I guess the defunct Adventure Gamers website wasn’t something most of our readers cared that much about. Only five (5) of you voted in our previous poll, where 80% frequented the site in its heyday, and 20% did not. You do the math for the actual numbers.
Today, fess up: The Dig – were you a fan or not?
Historical Moments in History
17 years ago this week, Tales of Monkey Island: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal releases.
16 years ago this week, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge Special Edition launched. It got Mojo quoted on the box, so there’s that.
Merch for the People
Only the best! The Adventurer has a web store for all your apparel and decoration needs! Don the original LucasArts logo, Manny Calavera’s face, or the OG Adventurer logo, though be warned: Popularity will smack you in your face when you wear – or display – these masterpieces.
Full News Roundup
10 Jul: Dig This Documentary: The Dig is about to hit it big.
06 Jul: Double Fine Goes Indie: Double Fine finds a way.
Last Week’s Mojole Results
It’s the game that sweeps the nation! Can you beat Mojole, our fiendishly difficult daily puzzler? Only hardcore LucasArts aficionados need apply.
03 Jul: “#master” – Remaster my ass.
04 Jul: “summer#” – The SCUMM Bar, meanwhile, has kicked off its Summer of Retro.
05 Jul: “the#bar” – Yep, the Bar thurns 30 this year.
06 Jul: “##retro” – Hence why there’s a Summer of Retro.
07 Jul: “thirty#” – Thirty years old, though, sheesh.
08 Jul: “##dash#” – Yep, twenty-nine.
09 Jul: “next###” – Next year? Mojo turns thirty!
And for the competitive amongst you, the Mojole forum thread has gone strong for more than two years. The two juggernauts to beat: Sushi and Huz.
Your Daily Challenges
Mojole too easy? Too hard? (Probably too hard.) Here are other daily challenges to get the brain cells firing on all cylinders.
Monkey Island Frantic: A Monkey Island scene-guessing game at a frantic pace. Image updates at midnight Pacific time. Brag about your results on the Mojo Forums!
Guess That Tune: Each daily game features a clip from Monkey Island music. Guess the tune in up to 6 tries, and return each day for a new challenge! Here, too, you can post your results on Mojo Forums.
Return to Monkey Island Trivia Card Game: The card-guessing game, now in your browser.
Become a Mojoer! (sponsored content)
Hey, kids, do you want to become one of us? Why not join our Patreon? One single dollar will make you a Friend of Mojo. And for the privileged few, there’s the $5 Diamond Club tier, which will earn you a special mention in The Adventurer. Join now! Our interns are hard at work finishing up the special mention section!
The Mojo Network
The International House of Mojo: Web, Bluesky, YouTube, and Mastodon.
The Monkey Island SCUMM Bar: Web, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
The Grim Fandango Network: Web, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
Leave Without Pay, as it is called.
Things Mojo has survived: 9/11, Brexit, one-and-a-half Trump terms, COVID, and “marketplace realities.”