The next major entry in the Tomb Raider series will officially be published by Amazon Games, with developer Crystal Dynamics working alongside the company ‘from development all the way through publishing’. The move was made following the sale of Crystal Dynamics and its games library to Embracer Group.
‘[The next game] 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 and Amazon said in a joint press release.
While currently untitled, the next Tomb Raider will again be a single-player narrative adventure game following Lara Croft through a variety of exploration-based challenges. The game was confirmed to be in development in early 2022, with Crystal Dynamics confirming ‘next-level storytelling’ work was beginning with Unreal Engine 5.
Read: A new Tomb Raider is being developed with Unreal Engine 5
‘Our goal is to push the envelope of fidelity and to deliver the high quality cinematic action/adventure experience that fans deserve from both Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider franchise,’ the company said in the initial announcement.
With the modern ‘origin trilogy’ for Lara Croft now wrapped up, it’s expected this upcoming, ambitious sequel will focus on wilder, and more dangerous adventures.
‘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,’ Christoph Hartmann, VP of Amazon Games said of the collaboration.
‘Tomb Raider is one of the most beloved IPs in entertainment history. 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 honoured by the opportunity to work with this storied developer and franchise.’
According to Crystal Dynamics head of studio, Scott Amos, the project will be an opportunity to explore a new publishing relationship, post-sale to Embracer Group.
‘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,’ Amos said.
At this stage, the next Tomb Raider game remains undated – but we expect to hear more in the coming months.
