Next Tomb Raider Game In Development Using Unreal Engine 5

At the tail end of yesterday's State of Unreal 2022 Keynote Presentation, Crystal Dynamics Franchise General Manager Dallas Dickinson announced that the studio has "just started development of [the] next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5." No further details or visuals were revealed, but Dickinson said, "This new engine translates into next-level storytelling and gameplay experiences.... 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." This new logo, reminiscent of the trapezoid-shaped boxes from the classic games, was also unveiled.

Although a mobile game, Netflix Anime, and Live Experience venue were announced last year during the 25th anniversary celebrations, the only significant news about the main series came in a January 2021 community update, in which Game Director Will Kerslake introduced the concept of a "unified timeline" for future Tomb Raider adventures, combining elements of classic, Legend era, and Survivor era storylines. With Tomb Raider 12 still untitled and still in the early stages of development, it will likely be years before release, but fans can look forward to gorgeous visuals and exciting stories...eventually.

Watch the whole State of Unreal presentation here, or just the Tomb Raider announcement on Twitter.

Also, check out this Unreal Engine 5 tech demo from May 2020, exuding some serious Tomb Raider vibes.

I'd love to hear your impressions, hopes, and concerns about the upcoming game. Leave a comment below, or get in touch on Twitter or through my main site.