Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Release Date	Holidays 2015
Game Chronology:
Tomb Raider (2013)	Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider is the title of the upcoming Tomb Raider game scheduled for release in 2015. In this new game Lara Croft will have to use the skills she learned in Tomb Raider (2013) and accept her desteny as a Tomb Raider.

Camilla Luddington will once again feature as the Motion Capture actress for Lara Croft and Rhianna Pratchett will again be head writer.

A first trailer was relessed at E3 on June 9th, 2014, and can be viewed on YouTube.

Older News on Tomb Raider 10

Very First Hints on March 2013

Shortly after the release of TOMB RAIDER, Crystal Dynamics hinted what might be developed for the sequel:

In terms of where we go next, we cannot answer too directly, but now that Lara has survived the Island she can follow the clues that she found on the island. In terms of the non-linear spaces, we were really happy with this aspect of the design and how it catered to player-driven exploration. This is something we are excited to continue and evolve. - - Now that Lara is more experienced, we are excited to take her on new adventures that challenge her new strength and confidence. It is important that even as Lara grows as a character, so do the challenges she must face. The goal of this vision was to introduce you to a story of how Lara becomes an adventurer and a true Croft. Future games will be defined by who Lara has become as a result of who she is at the end of this experience.

Noah Hughes and Karl Stewart

On the 20th of March 2013 it was still uncertain that there will be a sequel, "but considering it’s the biggest video game launch so far this year – and sold over 1 million copies in just two days – that seems a given. Especially considering these comments from Crystal Dynamics, which seem to imply a sequel has already been green-lit."

First Set of News on July 2013

First news on the possible sequel came to light on the 19th of July 2013, when it was announced on the San Diego Comic-Con that the rebooted storyline would be continued in the form of a line of comics - and the comic story would later lead to a direct sequel.

The comic writer Gail Simone will work on this new Tomb Raider comic series. Some essential thoughts about the game sequel and the new comics are on the following excerpt of the interview on Kotaku.com:

Kotaku: The new Tomb Raider game reboots Lara Croft and her world in a much darker vein, with elements of horror providing much of the tension. How are the new comics going to reflect that?

Simone: I chose to do this series solely because I loved the game so much, so we’re definitely keeping the tone of the game. I’ve always loved the classic, cool Lara Croft, but this feels like her origin story, like we’re seeing her before she becomes the icon, and it’s very compelling to me. The storytelling in the game hooked me instantly. The biggest difference is, the game told a claustrophobic story in an isolated setting. We are going globetrotting.

Kotaku: When does this [new comic] series take place with respect to the events of the new game? Will this still be a new Lara who's just starting out as an adventurer?

Simone: Very much so, we start just a few weeks after the end of the game, and this is all in continuity, it will be Tomb Raider canon, and lead DIRECTLY into the sequel. This is what got me excited; we get to be part of Lara Croft history.

Kotaku: The first Tomb Raider games don’t give Lara much motivation for doing what she does. She existed to be controlled and looked at. What do you see as Lara’s core defining trait? What drives her to do what she does?

Simone: It’s true that the earliest games didn’t really give deeply emotional motives to the characters, but damn, they were fun. And groundbreaking in several ways. The way I see Lara now is, she’s not after treasure. She’s not really after thrills. She’s a questioner, she’s an explorer. She wants answers. The thing is, she’s completely unstoppable. That’s what I love. Everyone underestimates her, and that is a terrible mistake to make.

Kotaku.com

The comic series is due out on 26th of February 2014.

Further Confimations About the Game Being in the Making in August 2013

On 1st of August 2013 both the Official Tomb Raider Blog and a blog of Square Enix confimed that the tenth game is indeed in the making.

Phil Rogers, the CEO of Square Enix, posted an open letter where, in addition on confiming the tenth Tomb Raider game being in the making, "he talks at length about some of the company's recent financial troubles and restructuring". About the game Rogers says only the following:

I am also excited to reveal that we are well into development on a next-generation Tomb Raider sequel – something you may have heard about recently!

Phil Rogers on Square Enix's Blog</ref>

Darrell Gallagher, Head of Product Development and Studios at Crystal Dynamics, stated on the Official Tomb Raider Blog the following about the game:

Hi - you may have read today that a next-generation sequel to Tomb Raider is in the works. We’re very excited to confirm that the team has started working on telling the next chapter in Lara’s tale. It’s still early days, so I’m afraid I can’t provide any further details for now save my assurance that we’re not resting on our laurels and acclaim from Tomb Raider’s recent successes, but working hard to raise the bar even higher and re-affirm the faith you’ve shown.

Darrel Gallagher on the Official Tomb Raider Blog

More News on November 2013

In November 2013, during a question and answer session at Bradford Animation Festival, Brian Horton stated the following:

We've announced the sequel... I'm glad I can finally talk about... The Tomb Raider sequel is the next chapter of [Lara's] development... her life is changing. She can't go back to the way she was.

Brian Horton

When Horton was asked about the sequel's budget, he said that "it's a well financed game" and that they're "not spending any more on a sequel than on the original game."