It’s been seven years since the latest Tomb Raider game, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, released. Though fans have a board game version of Lara Croft’s story to look forward to, that’s about it. Crystal Dynamics announced work on the next Tomb Raider game back in 2022. However, we haven’t heard much about it since then, leaving many fans to worry about the game’s future. Unfortunately, the latest intel on the game certainly doesn’t do anything to assuage these fears.
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Yesterday, many big projects were reportedly shuttered in widespread layoffs at Microsoft, impacting Xbox Games. As part of his reporting on the matter, Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach noted that Crystal Dynamics is “struggling with Tomb Raider.” This info was thrown in amidst info about another Crystal Dynamics game, a reboot of Perfect Dark, which has now been cancelled.
Gach did not go into detail about what leads him to believe the studio is struggling with one of its biggest IPs. So, it’s unclear if he has new info or is simply commenting on the fact that we have seen little to nothing about the next game since it was announced. However, this statement isn’t the only worrying info about the development progress for the next Tomb Raider game.
Financial Report Suggests Delay for Next Tomb Raider Game
Crystal Dynamics was acquired by Embracer Group around the same time that it revealed work on the next Tomb Raider title. And Embracer’s most recent financial report could prove a delay on the next game in the franchise.
Embracer’s Q4 financial report for the 2024/2025 fiscal year notes that an “expected AA game will likely new a few more quarters to polish,” adding the unnamed game might “release in FY 2026/27.” Though the game isn’t named, it’s fairly likely that this refers to the next Tomb Raider title. After all, this game isn’t listed among the upcoming releases despite being in development since 2022.
It’s possible this refers to a different title in the Embracer Group suite of developers, but given Gach’s statement that Crystal Dynamics is struggling, it would make sense for Tomb Raider to be the game in question.
Though gamers hoped we might see something about the next Tomb Raider title at Summer Game Fest in June. However, that update didn’t come to fruition. Now that another Crystal Dynamics project has been cancelled, it’s possible the developer will be able to refocus on the next game. But, it’s likely we’ll still be waiting a while to see or hear anything concrete about what’s next for Lara Croft’s mainline gaming series.
On the plus side, it doesn’t seem that the project has been outright cancelled. The same can’t be said for the TV adaptation, which is reportedly no longer happening. That said, Tomb Raider fans do have something to look forward to. The upcoming tabletop board game will offer a different way to engage with the franchise. So, while the next new installment may be a ways off, at least we’ll get to engage with Lara Croft’s adventures in some capacity.
[H/T: The Gamer]
