Just before 2017 ended, Square Enix dropped a bomb on Twitter regarding a new game in the Tomb Raider franchise. The announcement arrived in the form of a brief statement, with no details regarding the title, its release date, or its platforms.
Many speculate that the title could be Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in reference to when Polygon reported on the new Tomb Raider game leak last October 2016. This rumor is only fueled by the fact that a Twitter user pointed out how the first letter of each sentence in the announcement spelled out “shadow” when placed together.
There is also no information on which studio will helm the development. Crystal Dynamics, the developer that handled the main Tomb Raider games starting from the 2013 reboot, is currently working on an unnamed Avengers video game with Marvel.
Included in the statement is the games publisher’s news about their new approach to marketing, wherein they will only announce a new game when it is close to its actual release. “We want you to know that it won’t be very long between the official reveal and when you can play.” That being said, there is a huge possibility that the new Tomb Raider game will launch at the same time as Warner Bros.’ film adaptation of the franchise.
It has definitely been a while since players have gone out on an adventure with Lara Croft. Rise of the Tomb Raider is the franchise’s most recent video game iteration, and that came out in 2015. Gaming on PC previously covered the announcement of Rise of the Tomb Raider’s 20 Year Celebration Pack, which included new game modes and additional content.
Tomb Raider has been a beloved franchise in the gaming scene for two decades. It’s a series that features one of the strongest and most notable female leads in video game history after all. Anyone with decent pop culture knowledge would recognize representations of Lara Croft, with her braided hair, tank top, cargo pants, and big boots.
It’s no surprise that such a prominent character has become very marketable over the years. Lara Croft action figures line shelves of toy stores, while women dress up as the character during Cosplay events. Other companies have borrowed Tomb Raider’s assets as well. Gaming platform Slingo has its own version of Tomb Raider, with game elements paying tribute to the franchise. The online portal is known to adapt trending franchises and introduce titles inspired by their respective themes. With this much cultural impact, it’s no wonder Hollywood is reintroducing Tomb Raider to the mainstream once more.
Cinema Blend interviewed Alicia Vikander about the old Tomb Raider movies starring Angelina Jolie, with the new lead lady saying that this new film will divert attention away from the original films and will focus more on Lara Croft’s beginnings. Tomb Raider, starring Alicia Vikander, will premiere in theaters on March 16.
As for the new Tomb Raider game, stay tuned for updates when further information is released.
Header image: Svid via the official Tomb Raider Facebook page.
