Amazon Games and Crystal Dynamics have announced that they have reached an agreement under which Crystal Dynamics will develop a new Tomb Raider title, with Amazon Games providing full support and publishing the game globally.
The title is in early development, but Amazon Games and Crystal Dynamics can confirm at this time that the new Tomb Raider is a single-player, narrative-driven adventure that is being developed using Unreal Engine 5 and coming to multiple platforms.
It is also being described as the most expansive game in the series to date.
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!”
Crystal Dynamics confirmed that it was developing a new Tomb Raider game in April 2022, delivering a video during Epic Games’ State of Unreal 2022 event that revealed the next installment would leverage Unreal Engine 5.
Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider, the first two games in the reboot trilogy, were developed by Crystal Dynamics, while the third game, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, was handled by Deus Ex studio Eidos-Montréal.
The Tomb Raider franchise has sold more than 95 million copies since its first entry, which released for the original PlayStation console in 1996.
The new Tomb Raider title marks Amazon Games’ first single-player narrative title.