Tomb Raider
Action-adventure franchise centered on archaeologist Lara Croft.
Tomb Raider is a media franchise that began as an action-adventure video game series, created by the British developer Core Design. Between 1996 and 2008, the main game series was not consistently marketed under the name Lara Croft: Tomb Raider; that branding was primarily used for the 2001 film and some spin-offs. The franchise is now owned by Embracer Group and run by CDE Entertainment; previously, it belonged to Eidos Interactive, then to Square Enix Europe after Square Enix bought Eidos in 2009, until Embracer Group acquired the studios and IP rights in 2022. At its heart is the fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft, who travels the world seeking lost artifacts, venturing into dangerous tombs, ruins, and facing off against militia. The gameplay revolves around exploration, puzzle-solving, navigating trap-filled hostile environments, and combat. Beyond games, the franchise has expanded into films, comics, soundtracks, and novels.
Work on the first Tomb Raider game started in 1994, and it came out two years later. Its success, both critically and commercially, pushed Core Design to release a new game every year for the next four years, which strained the team. The sixth installment, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, ran into development troubles and was considered a failure upon release. This led Eidos to hand over development duties to Crystal Dynamics, which has been the primary developer of the series ever since. Other studios have worked on spin-off titles and ports of mainline games.
By 2024, the Tomb Raider series had sold over 100 million units worldwide, and the entire franchise had generated nearly $1.2 billion in revenue by 2002. Critics have generally given the series positive reviews, and Lara Croft has become one of the most recognizable video game characters, earning spots on the Walk of Game and in Guinness World Records.
Titles
The first six Tomb Raider games were made by Core Design, a British studio owned by Eidos Interactive. After the sixth game received a mixed reception in 2003, development moved to the American studio Crystal Dynamics, which has handled the main series since. Starting in 2001, other developers have contributed ports of mainline games or created spin-off titles.
Main series
Original series The first entry, Tomb Raider, launched in 1996 on the Sega Saturn, then on PlayStation and PC.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Tomb Raider
- Developer
- Core Design (1996–2006) / Aspyr (1998–2003, 2022–2025) / Crystal Dynamics (2003–2017, 2021–present) / Eidos-Montréal (2015–2019) / Square Enix Montréal (2015–2016) / Flying Wild Hog (2022–present)
- Publisher
- Eidos Interactive (1996–2009) / Square Enix (2010–2021) / Microsoft Studios (2015–2016) / Aspyr (2024–2025) / Amazon Games (since 2026)
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- First Release Date
- 25 October 1996
- Latest Release Version
- Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered
- Latest Release Date
- 14 February 2025
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of the first Tomb Raider video game began in 1994; it was released two years later. Its critical and commercial success prompted Core Design to develop a new game annually for the next four years, which put a strain on staff. The sixth game, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, faced difficulties during development and was considered a failure at release. This prompted Eidos to switch development duties to Crystal Dynamics, which has been the series' primary developer since. Other developers have contributed to spin-off titles and ports of mainline entries.
The first six Tomb Raider games were developed by Core Design, a British video game development company owned by Eidos Interactive. After the sixth game in the series was released to a mixed reception in 2003, development was transferred to American studio Crystal Dynamics, who have handled the main series since. The franchise is currently owned by Embracer Group and operated by CDE Entertainment; it was formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, then by Square Enix Europe after Square Enix's acquisition of Eidos in 2009 until Embracer Group purchased the intellectual property alongside Eidos in 2022.
Reader's Guide
The Tomb Raider series has sold over 100 million units worldwide by 2024, while the entire franchise generated close to $1.2 billion in revenue by 2002. The series has received generally positive reviews from critics, and Lara Croft became one of the most recognisable video game characters, winning accolades and earning places on the Walk of Game and Guinness World Records. The franchise has undergone multiple reboots: the Legend trilogy beginning with Tomb Raider: Legend in 2006, and the Survivor trilogy starting with a second reboot titled Tomb Raider in 2013. Spin-off titles include Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games, a Lara Croft subseries with isometric gameplay, and mobile titles such as Lara Croft Go. A Tomb Raider themed downloadable content expansion for PowerWash Simulator was released for free on 31 January 2023. The franchise's legacy includes influencing action-adventure games and establishing a prominent female protagonist in the medium.
Did You Know?
- The first Tomb Raider game was released in 1996 for Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and PC.
- Development of the first game began in 1994.
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