Tomb Raider: Catalyst Has A Release Window, But Will It Get Delayed Again?

Developer Crystal Dynamics have their hands full, with delays to both Tomb Raider projects from the studio causing fans to question their production process. Thankfully, a clear release window has been given for Tomb Raider: Catalyst, the newer game in the action-adventure franchise planned to release after Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis remakes the series’ first outing. However, with Legacy of Atlantis planned to launch in February 2027, the window for Catalyst feels too small not to run into problems.

Already, there are a multitude of Tomb Raider projects in the works besides just the two games mentioned, including a live-action and animated series based on the IP. The simultaneous development of Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst has already stifled fan hopes in some ways, with many criticizing Crystal Dynamics of sacrificing one game’s quality just to get another out too quickly. Other reports of Crystal Dynamics using generative AI to prototype parts of Legacy of Atlantis have also alienated players, providing another suggestion to the studio’s management prioritizing speed over polish.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst Delays Result In New Release Window Still One Year After Legacy Of Atlantis’ Launch

The owning company behind Crystal Dynamics, Embracer Group, has announced that Tomb Raider: Catalyst will release in April 2028, around a year and a few months after the launch of Legacy of Atlantis. This is based off an earnings report where Embracer discussed their 27/28 financial plans, meaning that this window is set fairly definitively for right now. Since Catalyst is protagonist Lara Croft’s first original adventure in quite some time, players are likely more excited for this game’s release than the re-hashing of the original Legacy of Atlantis provides.

At this time of writing, Tomb Raider: Catalyst has no real gameplay, with Legacy of Atlantis only having brief snippets of playable previews as well. Players are already being critical of Legacy of Atlantis due to how “guided” or “hand-holding” it feels compared to the original, but these observations will remain to be seen once that remake comes out. On the other hand, players have nothing to say on Catalyst because only a short cinematic was shown, alongside a brief summary of the game’s story.

Catalyst aims to follow Lara Croft as she explores a section of Northern India, in pursuit of a treasure others are trying to find too. This competition against other treasure hunters seems to be in the wake of the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld, a game from 2008. After a mythical cataclysm causes the events of Catalyst (hence its name), discovering ancient secrets seems to follow the traditional Tomb Raider formula. This is all to say that Tomb Raider: Catalyst looks far more ambitious than Legacy of Atlantis, or many other games in the series that have come before.

Another Delay Toward The End Of 2028 Would Not Be Surprising For Tomb Raider’s Future

The problem with Tomb Raider: Catalyst‘s scope is that it has to build everything from the ground up, even if it borrows assets and other tools from Legacy of Atlantis. A whole new adventure takes time to build, but becomes harder to work on when another game is being made around the same time. Crystal Dynamics have likely been producing Legacy of Atlantis more than Catalyst, due to the game’s easier approach to justify a closer release. That being said, Legacy of Atlantis still had to get delayed, pushing back foundational development on Catalyst perhaps more than it already was.

Planning for Catalyst to release in Q2 2027 could raise a number of issues, including some not tied to the game’s development restraints. Other financial reports from rival studios have revealed that games like Darksiders 4 and the next Kingdom Come: Deliverance title are planned to have launches around the same time as Tomb Raider: Catalyst. This competition could heighten the pressure surrounding Catalyst, maybe causing it to delay itself again if one of those two titles ends up releasing in the same week, or even on the same day.

Other factors could cause a delay too, from further AI controversies to the multiple rounds of layoffs Crystal Dynamics has undergone recently. The staff of the studio has been cut tremendously, which is probably a huge reason why both Tomb Raider games were delayed to begin with. Shorter staff and fewer resources could easily cause Tomb Raider: Catalyst to go through one or two more delays, similar to GTA 6, pushing its release window back into the latter half of 2028.

Legacy of Atlantis Is What the Tomb Raider Franchise Needs After 30 Years, But It Also Needs Some Work (Preview)