It’s been almost thirty years since Lara Croft made her way into video game history. Since the very first Tomb Raider released in 1996, the saga has experienced ups, downs and several reinventions. Today, the cult adventurer is more than ever expected to turn the corner. And his return could be revealed in the coming weeks.
Crystal Dynamics, current developer of the license, confirmed in 2022 that it is working on a new episode of Tomb Raider with the Unreal Engine 5 engine. But since then, radio silence… until now. As the Game Awards 2025 approach, the signals are multiplying. And despite a difficult context, the project still seems to be on track.
Layoffs… but confirmed development
This week, the Crystal Dynamics studio announced that it had laid off nearly 30 people in different departments. The decision is part of a vast internal restructuring. In a press release published on LinkedIn, the studio wanted to emphasize: “Crystal would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for their exceptional talent, hard work and dedication, which has helped shape the studio in so many ways. We are committed to providing you with all our support and resources during this transition. »
Despite these departures, Crystal Dynamics has reaffirmed its commitment to its flagship franchise: “To our players: In the face of constant evolution in the industry, we have made these difficult choices to optimize the continued development of our flagship game Tomb Raider, and to shape the rest of the studio to create new games in the future. » A message that leaves little doubt: the new Tomb Raider game remains a priority.
A possible revelation at the Game Awards?
Speculation is rife. On Reddit, some fans claim to have seen a teaser linked to a Prime Video broadcast during the Game Awards ceremony, scheduled in less than a month. An intriguing detail: Amazon now holds the publishing rights to the next game, as well as those for film and television adaptations. Perfect alignment for simultaneous launch on stage and screen.
Should we expect a reboot, a remake or a whole new story? No details have been filtered at this stage. But what we do know is that a remake of the first Tomb Raider is also expected on PlayStation 5, in parallel with this main project.
Lara Croft could therefore well make her comeback in living rooms around the world sooner than we think. While awaiting official confirmation, all eyes are on Los Angeles… and on Geoff Keighley.