Crystal Dynamics Confirms New Tomb Raider Game

A new video announcement shared by the official Tomb Raider account on Twitter has confirmed that a new "Tomb Raider" game is in the works, and that it will utilize Unreal Engine 5. Which is pretty exciting news for series fans as there hasn't been a new release in the series since 2018's "Shadow of the Tomb Raider."

In the video, a representative from Crystal Dynamics explains that, as of today (April 5th, 2022), the development team has started development on the next entry in the "Tomb Raider" series. And that it plans to utilize the new engine to create what it refers to as "next-level storytelling and gameplay experiences." In other words, Unreal Engine 5 is probably going to make the game look really impressive.

According to Crystal Dynamics' spokesperson, "Our goal is to push the envelope of fidelity, and to deliver the high-quality, cinematic action adventure experience that fans deserve from both Crystal Dynamics and the 'Tomb Raider' franchise."

While news of a new entry in a beloved game series that's been relatively quiet for four years is sure to get fans buzzing, it might be a little too soon for that. At the moment the only information that Crystal Dynamics has shared is that development has begun, which could mean the game has started production, or that it's beginning its pre-production phase. Given the amount of time it takes to produce most video games — especially in the AAA space where there are so many moving parts to the process — it's likely we won't be seeing Lara Croft's next adventure for a few years at least.

There's also been no indication of what this new "Tomb Raider" will entail; whether it will be a follow-up to "Shadow of the Tomb Raider" (which seems likely), or a new story entirely. We also don't know if it will stick to the sort of survival, exploration, and crafting-heavy approach of the more recent games, if there will be bigger tombs, more combat, or more puzzles. We also don't know what platforms it will release on — probably PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, but maybe not PS4 or XboxOne. There isn't a general release date estimate, either.

For the time being, all we know for sure is that Crystal Dynamics is working on another "Tomb Raider," Square Enix is likely still publishing, and that we need to be patient.