On April 4th, developer HeR Interactive posted a Youtube video confirming that a 34th Nancy Drew game is in the works. The devoted fanbase of the iconic franchise has speculated that the plot of the new game may be related to trademarks that have been quietly registered by HeR Interactive over the last few years: “Mystery of the Seven Keys” and “Case of the Missing Clue.” News of new Nancy Drew game comes after a three-year hiatus from the company since the release of Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem to mixed reviews.
HeR Interactive released the first Nancy Drew game in 1998. The series has developed fanbase of sleuths who started playing as children, and never stopped as the series catalog expanded. The games were marketed as educational and for all ages; a few years into the franchise, the new digital Nancy was even praised by the New York Times for being the “un-Barbie.” It was impossible to objectify Nancy Drew – she herself isn’t fully visible in any of the 33 games released so far.
But by 2015, HeR Interactive was struggling. Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness was just about to debut, but half of the company’s workforce was suddenly laid off. Those let go included Lani Minella, the beloved actress behind Nancy’s iconic voice. Four years later HeR Interactive released Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem to poor reception. Nancy’s new voice was unfamiliar, and the new, modernized graphics were polarizing among fans, and fans didn’t forget these perceived shortcomings when HeR Interactive announced game 34.
Nevertheless, it seems fans are largely optimistic about Nancy Drew #34. They’ve already begun searching for clues as they scour HeR Interactive’s official communication for hints as to what the newest game might feature. The going theory? That the newest game will be set in Austria.