12th December 2025
If you’ve been craving that rush of discovery the heart-pounding moment you leap across a bottomless chasm, the satisfying click of solving a millennia-old puzzle, the thrill of uncovering history’s greatest secrets then gets ready. Lara Croft is strapping on her holsters and returning to PlayStation 5 in not one, but two monumental new adventures, and this might just be the franchise’s most exciting chapter yet.
Forget mere sequels. This is a full-scale Tomb Raider renaissance, a dual-pronged strategy that brilliantly honors Lara’s legendary past while catapulting her into an unprecedented future. Developed through a powerful alliance between Crystal Dynamics, Amazon Game Studios, and Flying Wild Hog, and with the supremely talented Alix Wilton Regan stepping into Lara’s boots, this announcement feels like a love letter to fans and a welcome mat for newcomers.
Let’s dive deep into the ruins and unpack exactly why this is such a big deal.
The Adventures Ahead: A Closer Look
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (2026) – A Classic Reborn
Release: 2026 – Marking the 30th Anniversary of the franchise.
The Vibe: Pure, nostalgic adventure, rebuilt from the ground up.
This is where it all began… but you’ve never seen it like this. Legacy of Atlantis is a faithful yet fearless reimagining of the very first Tomb Raider game from 1996. It’s not a simple coat of new paint; it’s a complete archaeological reconstruction for the modern era.
You’ll once again hunt for the scattered pieces of the Scion, an artifact of world-altering power. Your journey will take you through the mist-shrouded jungles of Peru, the sun-baked ruins of Greece, the endless sands of Egypt, and finally, to a mysterious Mediterranean island hiding the greatest secret of all: Atlantis itself.
What Makes It Special:
Modern Tomb-Raiding, Classic Soul: The developers have promised to keep the soul of the original intact. That means the focus is on exploration, intricate environmental puzzles, and quiet moments of awe not just combat. Expect those classic rolling boulder traps and floor-tile puzzles, but with physics and complexity only the PS5 can deliver.
Expanded Worlds: Those iconic locations won’t be just linear corridors. Imagine the Lost Valley from Peru as a small, explorable ecosystem, with hidden caves, ancient wildlife, and secrets tucked away in every waterfall and cliff face.
A New Sense of Discovery: Even if you have the original game memorized, Legacy of Atlantis is being built with new tombs, new puzzles, and narrative expansions that flesh out Lara’s first great obsession. It’s the story you know, with chapters you’ve never read.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst (2027) – The Future of Adventure
Release: 2027
The Vibe: A sprawling, open-world epic Lara’s most ambitious journey.
If Legacy looks to the past, Catalyst plants a flag firmly in the future. Set in the cataclysm-shattered landscapes of Northern India, this game promises a revolution in scale and freedom.
The story kicks off with a geological disaster of mythical proportions, cracking open the earth to reveal ancient secrets and unleash dormant, supernatural guardians. Lara finds herself in a deadly race against a cabal of the world’s most ruthless treasure hunters. It’s a globe-trotting thriller where alliances will shift, trust is a currency, and Lara must decide what to protect: the artifact, or the world it could destroy.
What Makes It Special:
- A “Vertical Playground”: The key phrase here is seamless verticality. The world is built in layers. You might start by navigating a dense, rainforest canopy, rappel down a cliff face into a network of ancient caves, and then use your gear to delve even deeper into submerged ruins all in one uninterrupted, breathtaking sequence.
- Deep Gear Customization: Lara’s toolkit is getting a major upgrade. Her climbing axes, grappling hook, and traversal tech will be highly customizable. Players can tailor her gear to their playstyle focusing on speed, exploration, or puzzle-solving making each player’s Lara feel uniquely theirs.
- A Living, Hostile World: This isn’t just a pretty backdrop. The wilderness of Catalyst is described as a character itself, filled with dynamic weather, dangerous wildlife, and reactive environments. That storm isn’t just for show; it might flood ruins, creating new pathways or dangers.
Why This Announcement Is a Game-Changer (At a Glance)
| Feature | Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (2026) | Tomb Raider: Catalyst (2027) |
| Core Concept | Reimagining of the 1996 classic. | Next-gen sequel and the franchise’s largest adventure yet. |
| Gameplay Focus | Puzzle-first design, classic tomb isolation, precision platforming. | Open-world exploration with vertical movement and gear-based traversal. |
| World Design | Curated, iconic locations rebuilt with new secrets and environmental depth. | Seamless, layered open world set in Northern India. |
| Narrative Tone | Mythic quest centered around a legendary artifact. | Global thriller with shifting alliances and moral decisions. |
| The Fan Serve | Pure nostalgia blended with modern mechanics. | Bold reinvention that sets the future direction of the franchise. |
FAQ: Digging Deeper Into the Details
It is absolutely real. This strategic roadmap was announced directly by Crystal Dynamics as the next phase for the franchise.
It’s a brilliant one-two punch. Legacy of Atlantis (2026) resets the stage for Lara’s core identity treasure hunter, archaeologist, explorer right as the franchise turns 30. It brings everyone, old and new, onto the same page. Then, Catalyst (2027) uses that foundation to blow the doors off with a huge, next-gen evolution. It’s a perfect onboarding strategy.
In a great way. Flying Wild Hog (makers of the Shadow Warrior reboot) are masters of fast, fluid, and satisfying combat and environmental creativity. Their touch likely means Lara’s acrobatics will feel incredibly responsive, and the puzzle environments will be clever and kinetic.
Scale and technology. Amazon’s involvement (through their publishing arm) suggests significant investment. Their tech, like the AWS cloud backbone used in New World, could enable the massive, persistent, and detailed world Catalyst promises.
Not at all. Legacy of Atlantis is literally designed to be the perfect starting point. Think of it as the new, definitive “Episode I.” Playing it will give you everything you need to soar into Catalyst.
The Bottom Line: Why You Should Be Excited
This isn’t just more Tomb Raider. This is Tomb Raider with a vision.
For years, fans have debated what a “perfect” Tomb Raider game looks like the tight puzzles of the classics or the cinematic scope of the newer trilogy. Incredibly, Crystal Dynamics and partners are answering: “You get both.”
We get the focused, puzzle-box purity of the origins in Legacy of Atlantis. Then, we get the boundless, systemic adventure of tomorrow in Catalyst. It’s a acknowledgment of the franchise’s entire history and a confident bet on its future.
Conclusion: The Adventure is Just Beginning
The desert sands are shifting, and the jungle vines are parting. A new era for Lara Croft is unmistakably on the horizon. With a celebrated voice actor bringing her to life, powerhouse developers pooling their talents, and a clear, ambitious roadmap, the message is clear: Lara Croft is back, and she’s never been more ready to define what adventure means.
Clear your calendar for 2026. Your next great discovery awaits.
What tomb are you most excited to see reimagined? Which part of this dual announcement has you the most pumped? Let’s talk adventures in the comments below!
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