Summary
- Crystal Dynamics may bring in an external partner for the next Tomb Raider due to delay with AAA project.
- The financial report hints at a delayed AAA game to FY 2026/27, possibly pointing to Tomb Raider.
- Speculation suggests Tomb Raider is nearing its final stages, with a rumored reveal at Summer Game Fest 2025.
New reports indicate that Crystal Dynamics could be bringing an “external partner” to work on the next Tomb Raider following a delay in one of its current AAA projects. Crystal Dynamics is known to be currently developing the next Tomb Raider, but not much is known about the project, as it has not been officially announced.
The Tomb Raider franchise started almost 30 years ago with the release of the first game in 1996. The title was widely successful, and the series has already released 11 mainline entries since then, with the entire franchise selling over 100 million units. While the last mainline game in the franchise was Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018, Lara Croft has been featured in Fortnite, Dead by Daylight, and other popular titles recently.
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Now, a new financial report from Crystal Dynamics’ owner, Embracer (via Videogamer), has revealed some information that could be about the next entry in the Tomb Raider series. According to the report, which does not mention Tomb Raider by name, one AAA game developed by the studio has been delayed to fiscal year 2026/27, which spans from April 2026 to March 2017. More interestingly, the report also states that Crystal Dynamics has “recently signed an agreement with an external partner for one of its largest IPs”. It’s highly likely that this information is regarding the upcoming Tomb Raider, as this is the biggest IP owned by the company. It’s already known that Crystal Dynamics is also working on Perfect Dark, who’s development has not always been smooth, but the company does not own the IP; Microsoft does.
Crystal Dynamics Could Be Bringing External Help to Develop the Next Tomb Raider
Last week, a job listing indicated that Crystal Dynamics was looking for a Senior Level Designer to spearhead strike teams, which are usually deployed late in game development. This could hint that Tomb Raider is nearing its final stages of development. If this speculation is correct, it would be coherent with the financial report, as Embracer mentioned that the mysterious AAA delayed game “will likely need a few more quarters to polish” before release.
It remains to be seen when the next Tomb Raider will be released, but gamers should not hold their breath while waiting for a 2025 release. Some reports have speculated that the game could be announced during the upcoming Summer Game Fest 2025. However, it’s best to wait for an official announcement before getting too excited, especially considering the recent delay.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
8/10
- Released
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September 14, 2018
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Engine
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Foundation Engine
