Based on the 1940s Dutch freighter named the SS Ourang Medan which was discovered adrift after transmitting a single, garbled distress message. The crew were all found dead with every face locked in the same terrified expression, and no sign of visible injuries. Before the ship could be dragged to safe waters, it exploded and sank beneath the waves.

After Fliss/Brad find the captain's hat and enter the next room, a woman is heard screaming "help". This audio is recycled from Until Dawn (Jessica; Chapter 9).

Man of Medan is the first of eight games in The Dark Pictures Anthology, with new games releasing every year.

Some of the scenes shown in Man of Medan show slight resemblance to moments captured in the 2002 supernatural horror film Ghost Ship which may have served as a source of inspiration for the writers

Developed by Supernassive Games, the same company that developed Until Dawn, another interactive horror game.