All Articles: Rise of the Tomb Raider

“Aim Greater” with this new cinematic trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider

“For some, discovering the secrets of the world is the only way to live.”

Rise of the Tomb Raider is still a ridiculously awful title, but this cinematic new trailer does an amazing job of showing Lara Croft’s transformation from an inexperienced graduate student to the globe-trotting adventurer we all know her to be.

Microsoft will unveil the first gameplay footage from Rise of the Tomb Raider during a special “World Premiere” presentation as part of their E3 2015 Press Conference, which will take place two weeks from today on June 15. Fans will be able to view the show through Xbox.com, their Xbox system, or through a variety of online video providers.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is in development at Crystal Dynamics and will be released this Fall for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

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Rise of the Tomb Raider also coming to Xbox 360; exclusivity deal “has a duration”

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After a stealth Silent Hill announcement and Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s Xbox exclusivity, yesterday was a big day for Gamescom surprises. But, as we all expected, that exclusivity won’t be permanent and Rise of the Tomb Raider will be free to appear on other platforms someday.

The news was confirmed by Eurogamer, who tracked down Microsoft’s Phil Spencer and got him to admit that their deal with Square Enix “has a duration.” He couldn’t say what Square Enix plans to do with the game after this deal expires, but he could confirm that the game will also launch on the Xbox 360 next year:

Spencer: “I have Tomb Raider shipping next holiday exclusively on Xbox. It is Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I’m not trying to fake anybody out in terms of where this thing is. What they do with the franchise in the long run is not mine. I don’t control it. So all I can talk about is the deal I have. I don’t know where else Tomb Raider goes.”

Eurogamer: “Is there a time limit on the exclusivity period?”

Spencer: “Yes, the deal has a duration. I didn’t buy it. I don’t own the franchise.”

If history is any guide, Square Enix will likely announce Rise of the Tomb Raider’s future destinations (cough PC, PS3, PS4 cough) sometime after the game’s 2015 release.

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Rise of the Tomb Raider is an Xbox One exclusive

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Today, during Microsoft’s Gamescom media breifing, a new trailer for Square Enix’s Rise of the Tomb Raider ended with the words “Coming Exclusivly to Xbox.” It was also announced that the game will be released at the end of 2015 – right up next to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.

This is huge coup for Microsoft, especially based on how well the 2013 reboot was received by critics and players. Crystal Dynamics needed a partner to push Rise to the next level, and struck a deal with Microsoft to make that happen. With Square Enix not liking the sales of the original so much, a cash injection from Microsoft may have helped insure the game’s development. However, it’s unknown if this deal represents a short-term exclusive window or something more permanent (like with TitanFall). And as an “Xbox Exclusive,” does that mean an Xbox 360 version could be in development? Surely, there must be a PC version in the works, right? Only time will tell for all of these questions.

Darrell Gallagher, Crystal Dynamics Head of Studio, took to the official Tomb Raider Tumblr to discuss the Xbox exclusivity of Rise of the Tomb Raider (which was actually hinted at during its E3 2014 reveal):

This doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our fans who only play on PlayStation or on PC. Those are great systems, with great partners, and amazing communities. We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4.

Once again, Rise of the Tomb Raider will be released as an Xbox One exclusive towards the end of next year.

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Watch this Rise of the Tomb Raider trailer… doctor’s orders

“We become who we’re meant to be.”

After what Lara Croft went through in 2013’s Tomb Raider, it’s understandable that she’d be having a hard time with things. Her legs quake… her hands tense up… and she’s hiding from the world underneath a big hoodie. But thankfully, she’s seeing a therapist and making progress. Her doctor has encouraged her to get back into the world and at the end of this trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider, she’s done just that. Except it’s a part of the world that has been long forgotten. Some might even call it a tomb.

Crystal Dynamics is getting the gang back together for Rise of the Tomb Raider. Camilla Luddington will lend her voice (and motion capture moves) to Lara Croft and Rhianna Pratchett is again part of the writing team.

Rise of the Tomb Raider will be available in Fall 2015 and, as of right now, it’s only been announced for the Xbox One. Will it also come to the PC and PS4? A Magic 8-Ball would say, “Ask Again Later.”

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MS @ E3 14: Rise of the Tomb Raider brings back Lara Croft next year

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I’m sorry, but we have to retire any variation of the word “Rise” when titling a sequel. Because then things like Rise of the Tomb Raider would be stopped.

We didn’t learn much, but we did find out that Crystal Dynamics will bring Lara Croft back in 2015 and that the intrepid adventurer is seeing a therapist after the events of the first game. But no matter how traumatic they were, she ventures back into the tombs because that’s who she is. Rise of the Tomb Raider will be available for the Xbox One (and presumably the PS4 and PC as well).

Oh, and while we’re at it, can we ban “Begins” from being used in prequel titles too?

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Crystal Dynamics to announce “New Game” (cough Tomb Raider 2 cough) at E3 2014

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GameTrailers has published the complete schedule for their “All Access” E3 2014 coverage and it looks like we’ll be getting our first look at Tomb Raider 2 next week. Or should that be Tomb Raider 10? What is the correct numbering scheme to use for an unannounced sequel to the reboot of a long-running franchise?

Anyway, the reveal will occur during GameTrailers’ “All Access” coverage at 2:00 PM (Eastern) on Monday, June 9. According to the show’s description, Crystal Dynamics will make a “new game announcement” during the telecast, carefully evading the use of the words “Tomb” and “Raider.” However, Phil Rogers, the CEO of Square Enix Europe, confirmed that the game was in the works last year, so what else could it be?

Unless Crystal Dynamics is resurrecting the Legacy of Kain series. Hmm, as much as I loved 2013’s Tomb Raider, can I change my answer to that?

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Square Enix confirms that a next-gen Tomb Raider sequel is in the works

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Phil Rogers, the CEO of Square Enix Europe, wants to set the record straight. In an open letter to fans on their official blog, the executive discussed the company’s strategy for publishing games on next-generation systems and promised, “[W]e’re not abandoning core, triple-A console and PC games.”

To prove his point, Rogers reaffirmed that games such as Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts III, and Thief are still in development. He also confirmed that a sequel to this year’s Tomb Raider reboot is officially in the works, backing up comments Gail Simone made at Comic-Con two weeks ago.

Rogers didn’t confirm which platforms the untitled game will appear or even if Crystal Dynamics is developing it. But he did say, “I am also excited to reveal that we are well into development on a next-generation Tomb Raider sequel.”

So now we can all start speculating what “well into development” means.

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New Tomb Raider comic and game sequel confirmed

tombraiderrebootartDark Horse Comics hosted an “Art of Video Games” panel yesterday in which they revealed a brand new Tomb Raider comic for 2014. The first issue is currently scheduled to be released on February 26 and it’ll be written by Gail Simone (who has also recently worked on Wonder Woman and Batgirl). In an interview with Kotaku, Simone revealed that the comic will pick up after the end of this year’s Tomb Raider reboot and lead directly into a game sequel:

Kotaku: When does this series take place with respect to the events of the new game? Will this still be a new Lara who’s just starting out as an adventurer?

Simone: Very much so, we start just a few weeks after the end of the game, and this is all in continuity, it will be Tomb Raider canon, and lead DIRECTLY into the sequel. This is what got me excited; we get to be part of Lara Croft history.

Even though the Tomb Raider reboot sold exceptionally well, there were reports that Square Enix was unhappy with the game’s retail performance. I for one am thrilled they’re moving forward with a sequel.

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