The Tomb Raider franchise was one of the OGs of the original PlayStation era. The first demo disc I had when my parents first bought me a PS had Tomb Raider and Crash Bandicoot, and those to me are synonymous with that console. I can’t believe that game came out in 1996. Halfway through the Bill Clinton administration. Wild. To celebrate the game’s 30th anniversary, we’re getting not one but two new (or sort of new) entries. Both debuted trailers during the 2025 Game Awards. First, a remake of the original game, plus the next new installment, Tomb Raider: Catalyst.
First up we have Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a “dramatic reimagining” of the 1996 game. While the updated graphics are stunning, we can see the DNA of that polygonal platformer in there. Lara Croft even still does her trademark (and wholly unnecessary) slow gymnastics dismount on all climbing. It was formative for kids 30 years ago. While a lot of the more recent games have given Lara human antagonists to shoot up, the first game had her fight…dinosaurs. Here we get to see updated, feathered varieties. Because science.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will drop in 2026.
Second, we got a teaser trailer for the next mainline entry in the series. Tomb Raider: Catalyst is the follow-up to 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider. That game was the third and final installment of a grittier, survivalist take on Lara’s beginnings. I liked the first two games in that saga, wasn’t too crazy about Shadow. In any case, this new one will see Lara travel to Northern India for an adventure that will put the ethics of tomb raiding to the test.
Per Amazon Game Studios and Crystal Dynamics’ description: “Tomb Raider: Catalyst is set in the wake of a mythical cataclysm that has unleashed ancient secrets and awakened the mysterious forces that guard them. When the most notorious treasure hunters from around the world descend on the region, Lara races to uncover the truth buried beneath the fractured landscape and stop those who would use its power for their own gain. As the ancient world collides with the present, Lara must decide who to trust among rivals and allies to prevent a catastrophe and protect a secret that could reshape the future.”
Tomb Raider: Catalyst will drop in 2027.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.