Amazon Strikes Deal To Publish 'Biggest' Tomb Raider Game Ever And It's Multi-Platform
Famed video game character Lara Croft will embark on all-new adventures, it has been confirmed, though what exactly they will entail remains to be seen. What we do know, however, is that Amazon Games has inked a deal with developer Crystal Dynamics to develop another Tomb Raider title that will task players with "mind-bending puzzles to solve" and new locations to explore.
In doing so, Amazon secures itself publishing rights for one of the most popular game franchises of all time. It also means that Tomb Raider and Lara Croft will not wither into the footnotes of gaming history, following what had been an uncertain future for the franchise after the conclusion of Croft's origin story, which wrapped up in Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018.
While many of the details are unknown at this point (such as how far in development the new game is, what the setting will be, and when it will release), Amazon did offer up a few teaser nuggets. For one, the upcoming Tomb Raider title (yet to be named) will be powered by Unreal Engine 5. Amazon also claims this will be the "biggest, most expansive Tomb Raider game to date," and that it will "take storytelling to the next level."
Additionally, Amazon says the finished product will reward "exploration and creative pathfinding," which hints at the possibility that this could be an open-world game. Beyond that, Amazon says players will encounter a wide variety of enemies in their travels.
One reason why Amazon might not be sharing more concrete details is because the game is in early development. That said, Amazon confirmed this will be a single-player game that is narrative-driven, and will launch on multiple platforms when it's ready.
"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," Scot Amos, head of studio at Crystal Dynamics, said in a statement.
This is a big opportunity for Amazon, as the Tomb Raider franchise has amassed more than 95 million copies sold since the first title released in 1996.
