Crystal Dynamics has announced the next Tomb Raider game is in the works, and they’re partnering with Amazon Games to help make it happen.
While details are still scant, any news on the next Tomb Raider game is exciting for fans. After Square Enix sold off Crystal Dynamics earlier this year, many fans were left wondering what that meant for the iconic franchise. Today brings a little bit of clarity.
A new partnership between Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Games has been reached where they will develop a new multiplatform Tomb Raider game with Amazon supporting and publishing. Still no word on what the new game will consist of, or if it will even follow on from the previous trilogy, but here’s a quick update:
The as-yet-untitled new Tomb Raider game is a single-player, narrative-driven adventure that continues Lara Croft’s story in the Tomb Raider series. It includes all the elements that have made Tomb Raider one of the most revered franchises in gaming, giving players control of the confident and multidimensional hero Lara Croft in an environment that rewards exploration and creative pathfinding, with mind-bending puzzles to solve, and a wide variety of enemies to face and overcome. Crystal Dynamics is drawing on the power and cutting-edge technology of Unreal Engine 5 to take storytelling to the next level, in the biggest, most expansive Tomb Raider game to date. The title is currently in early development, and additional details will be announced at a later date.
“Tomb Raider is one of the most beloved IPs in entertainment history,” said Christoph Hartmann, VP of Amazon Games. “Amazon Games is committed to bringing players games of the highest quality, from the best developers, across all variety of platforms and genres, and we’re honored by the opportunity to work with this storied developer and franchise. Our team is incredibly excited about collaborating with the talented and visionary Crystal Dynamics team to bring the next chapter of Lara Croft’s saga to players around the world.”
“Crystal Dynamics has an extraordinary opportunity following our acquisition by Embracer to redefine what a publishing relationship is for Tomb Raider,” said Scot Amos, head of studio at Crystal Dynamics.
“Transformative is what we’re looking for, and with Amazon Games, we found a team that shares our creative vision, ambitions, and values for a Lara Croft universe across the spectrum of possibilities. They’re uniquely positioned to rewrite what publishing and development collaborations are, and we’re eager to forge this new path together, starting with building the biggest and best Tomb Raider game yet!”
As someone who loved the previous Tomb Raider games, I’m eager to see how they handle this next one in both terms of the story and now being separate from Square Enix. What do you hope to see out of the new Tomb Raider game?
