The year 2026 marks a historic milestone for Tomb Raider fans. It’s been three decades since Lara Croft burst onto our screens, becoming the icon of adventure video games. For this very special birthday, Crystal Dynamics did not wait to spoil the players: a free birthday wallpaper is now available, and above all, several clues suggest the imminent arrival of new remasters.
After the recent announcement of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, the year promises to be rich for the franchise. But this celebration is not limited to a simple nostalgic nod. The publisher has indeed planned to bring Lara Croft to life throughout 2026, through digital surprises, collector’s items and modernized ports.
A free download in homage to Lara Croft
First symbolic gesture: an exclusive wallpaper tracing the graphic evolution of Lara Croft since 1996 until today. Posted online on the franchise’s official website, this visual is available in several formats (PC, tablet, mobile) and illustrates the many incarnations of the heroine over the generations.
A blog post from Crystal Dynamics states: “It’s been 30 years since Lara Croft first appeared, climbing, leaping and diving like a swan, and every moment since has been an adventure.” The message continues: “Our favorite British archaeologist and adventurer has established herself as video games’ most iconic heroine, and we plan to celebrate this legacy all year long!”
Remasters in preparation, the Legend trilogy in the viewfinder
Beyond the visual gift, the most intriguing announcement concerns new remasters in preparation. One of Crystal Dynamics’ partners, Aspyris already responsible for the modernized editions of the first six games and the Switch version of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.
Everything suggests that the next project could be a port of Rise of the Tomb Raider on Switchor better yet, reissues of the Legend trilogy (Legend, Anniversary, Underworld), difficult to play on current consoles. To date, only the PS2 version of Legend and Anniversary is accessible on PS5, while Underworld is absent, and the PC versions are deprived of certain content.
A whole year of collaborations and events
Crystal Dynamics also announced exclusive partnerships with several brands to extend the celebration. Dark Horse will publish new comics, 8BitDo will offer customized equipment, and Funko will launch a special range of figurines dedicated to Lara Croft.
These products should arrive during the year, as we get closer to the launch of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a highly anticipated new title intended to continue the main saga.
Tomb Raider: 30 years of video game heritage
Since its debut in 1996, Tomb Raider has left its mark on many generations of players. Lara Croft has been in turn a technological pioneer, marketing muse, figure of empowerment and heroine of spectacular reboots. This anniversary is an opportunity to revisit an entire section of video game history… and to prepare for what comes next.