New ‘Tomb Raider’ game now in the works using Unreal Engine 5
A new entry in the acclaimed Tomb Raider series is now in the works at Crystal Dynamics.
Announced during the tail end of Epic Games’ State of Unreal 2022, Crystal Dynamics general manager Dallas Dickinson shared that they have just started development of the next Tomb Raider game, adding that they are working on the next entry using the new 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,” Dickinson said.
As of now, Crystal Dynamics has yet to announce other details about the new Tomb Raider game, including release window and storyline.
The last entry in the franchise, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, was released four years ago on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The third installment in the survival series was developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix.
Tomb Raider easily became one of the icons in the gaming industry ever since it made its debut more than two decades ago. The first entry in the beloved series was released on PC in 1996 while the sequel Tomb Raider II was launched in 1997. Tomb Raider III, meanwhile, was released in 1998, completing the first trilogy in the series.
Since then, several installments were released on various platforms including the Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000), The Angel of Darkness (2003) and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010).
During the 25th anniversary of the franchise last year, Tomb Raider game director Will Kerslake shared some details about the upcoming entry, saying that they are "working to unify" the timelines of Core Design's original games and their own.
“We envision the future of Tomb Raider unfolding after these established adventures, telling stories that build upon the breadth of both Core Design and Crystal Dynamics' games, working to unify these timelines," he said.
Aside from a new entry in the game franchise, an anime adaptation of Tomb Raider is also in the works at Netflix, with British actress Hayley Atwell attached to voice the bow-and-wielding heroine in the upcoming project.
First announced last year, the upcoming Tomb Raider anime series will pick up after the events of the video game reboot trilogy and will follow Lara Croft’s latest adventure, 25 years after her first game appeared.
Tasha Huo (The Witcher: Blood Origin, Red Sonja), has been tapped to write and executive produce the anime adaptation together with dj2 Entertainment Founder and CEO Dmitri M. Johnson (Sonic the Hedgehog), Stephan Bugaj, Howard Bliss and Robinson.
The popular heroine first appeared in the big screen in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider with Angeline Jolie in the titular role, followed by 2003's sequel Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life. After several years, Alicia Vikander took on the role of Lara Croft in the 2018 reboot. Vikander is also expected to reprise her role in the upcoming sequel by Lovecraft Country‘s Misha Green.
Tomb Raider, developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montréal, has sold more than 81 million copies worldwide since the release of the action-adventure game on Sega Saturn 25 years ago. The most recent game, 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider, has received various “Best of” nominations and awards.