Tomb Raider: Catalyst Designed with New Players in Mind

Last week’s Game Awards brought some thrilling news for fans of the franchise: two new Tomb Raider games are in the works at Crystal Dynamics. The first is a remake of the original 1996 Tomb Raider, titled Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, set to release in 2026. The second is an entirely new entry, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, which is currently slated for a 2027 launch.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst aims to attract both die-hard fans of Lara Croft and newcomers who may not have experienced her adventures before. While the game will include subtle references to previous titles, players won’t need any background knowledge to dive right in.

“This is the furthest point in [Lara’s] career, this is where she is right now,” explained studio head Scot Amos during a recent Q&A. “This is a great time for long-time fans to ask, ‘What’s next for Lara Croft?’ For new players, we’ve designed Catalyst so they can jump in and enjoy her adventures without any prior homework.”

Lara made her debut in 1996 with the original Tomb Raider on PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and MS-DOS. Nearly three decades later, she has embarked on countless adventures, with the latest being 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Amos emphasized that while Catalyst won’t erase Lara’s history, its story is crafted to be accessible for both seasoned fans and newcomers alike.

“You can jump right into Catalyst and experience a complete adventure from start to finish, understanding the story and characters without needing to know any of the backstory,” Amos noted. “We aim to satisfy long-time fans while also welcoming new players to the franchise.”

Set in India, a location that both Amos and game director Will Kerslake described as a “fan-favorite,” Catalyst leverages Unreal Engine 5 to create stunning visuals and immersive environments.

“Using this technology allows us to depict everything from breathtaking high peaks to the darkest tombs underground,” Amos explained. “We have an incredible amount of depth and variety to explore that we haven’t been able to achieve before.”

Amos also mentioned that Catalyst is “the largest Tomb Raider we’ve created to date.”

During the Q&A, there was a question about whether Catalyst would connect to the upcoming live-action Tomb Raider series from Amazon, featuring Sophie Turner as Lara Croft. The response hinted at a potential link.

“Our partners at Amazon have been fantastic, and they understand the vision we have for this cross-media franchise, which includes both the live-action series and the two games we’re developing,” Amos said. “While we can’t share specific details about the TV series right now, it’s a great opportunity to have all these projects in development for Tomb Raider, benefiting the fans.”

In the teaser trailer for Catalyst, Lara is seen using a grappling hook, but when asked about other gadgets in her arsenal, Amos teased that more information would be revealed later. He remained coy about whether Catalyst marks the start of a new trilogy or series.

“What I can say is that this is the next chapter for Lara Croft,” Amos stated. “This is an all-new adventure for her in Catalyst, and that’s all we’re sharing today.”

Overall, the Crystal Dynamics team is excited about the progress of Catalyst and can’t wait for fans to experience the game in 2027.

“I think people are going to be completely delighted and surprised by what we have in store for this next chapter of Lara Croft.”