Gaming’s most famous heroine is back and ready for some action, based on a new trailer that debuted Thursday night during The Game Awards. We’re getting a double dose here. There’s Tomb Raider: Catalyst, developed by modern series steward Crystal Dynamics, a 2027 game which is aiming to be the most ambitious entry in the Tomb Raider franchise yet. There’s also a remake of the original game that started the franchise, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which drops in 2026.
The debut trailer for the totally new game saw Lara Croft fighting against a new adversary, climbing new heights, and solving puzzles in verdant ruins. She’s confident, capable, and acrobatic; a clear evolution from the Lara Croft introduced in the recent trilogy. The remake, on the other hand, boasts impressive new graphics as Lara Croft raids derelict remains and guns down dinosaurs.
Here’s the trailer for the remake of the 1996 game:
Originally announced in 2022, the sequel to Shadow of the Tomb Raider will be a single-player adventure that combines the timelines in both the classic games and the more recent trilogy. Fittingly, Lara Croft’s new design looks like a blend of her most recent iteration and her classic look. The game is being built in Unreal Engine 5, and, like the reboot before it, will focus heavily on the narrative that sends Lara Croft on a new treasure hunting expedition. Here’s how Amazon is describing the game by Crystal Dynamics:
[The] title offers the series’ largest world yet, inviting players to uncover secrets, delve into lost tombs packed with intricate puzzles and solve ancient mysteries using Lara Croft’s unmatched brilliance and adventure tech. Set to launch in 2027, Tomb Raider: Catalyst delivers an intense narrative of trust and betrayal that tests Lara Croft in new ways.
Previously, the most recent iteration of the Tomb Raider series was a timed exclusive for Microsoft platforms. Developer Crystal Dynamics has said that Microsoft was a unique partner in that it supported the fresh new direction for the series that kicked off in 2013. That was in contrast to previous publisher Square Enix, which appeared to consider Tomb Raider a failure after it failed to reach sales expectations. The game would nonetheless go on to be the highest-selling title in the entire franchise. After selling millions of copies of its Tomb Raider trilogy, Crystal Dynamics pivoted to Marvel’s Avengers and the since-canceled Perfect Dark.
In the interim, Netflix debuted an animated series for Tomb Raider in 2024 that explored the period after Crystal Dynamics’ trilogy. In it, Lara Croft is more of a seasoned archeological researcher who has loved, lost, and most importantly can wield the classic dual pistols made famous by the original games. Beyond a lackluster 2018 movie starring Alicia Vikander, Amazon has also reportedly been developing a live-action series that will be led by Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and potentially Sigourney Weaver.
“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,” Dallas Dickinson, franchise general manager for Tomb Raider, said in 2022.
