The new Lara Croft detailed. “We don’t want to play sexuality up for sexuality's sake,” says Crystal Dynamics

Developer’s brand manager and art director explain why they had to reinvent the icon

Words: GamesRadarTylerNagata on December 9, 2010

Scheduled to release in 2011, the next Tomb Raider game from developer Crystal Dynamics will take a step back to reveal the origin story of the famous treasure hunter. But in terms of the old Lara Croft’s new look, the developers are aiming to take a huge step forward. “The big thing for me – and for us – as we were designing Lara was trying to find something that felt both iconic and timeless at the same time,” said art director Brian Horton in a recent interview with Game Informer.

Horton and global brand manager Karl Stewart go into great detail, dissecting everything from the shape of Lara Croft’s lips to the style of her hair. “We don’t want to play sexuality up for sexuality's sake,” explained Stewart. It’s a great read and provides you with an intimate look at the creative process behind a redesign of one of gaming’s most iconic characters.

Above: According to Stewart, tests revealed that people focused more on the old Lara Croft’s chest and waist. With the new image, “people spent most of the time piercing her eyes”

Above: The first full body image of the new Lara Croft

[Source: Game Informer]

Dec 9, 2010

Platforms:

PS3, Xbox 360, PC

71 comments

View as:
Newest first
Oldest first

xXMurderousCupcakeXx - January 10, 2011 5:01 p.m.

Uh guys did you not hear what the producers said? FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT LAURA CROFT! This is the origins. And honestly I'm excited for it. The whole point of the game was a action heroin who is a women. Its a game where you can kill ppl and learn new things about history. Forget about the damn big boobs. I'm a women and its kind of annoying that your just going on here saying. No boobs no buy. SHE HAS BOOBS!!!! This girl is 21 years old. and YESH THE GIRL IS SEXY. THat doesn't mean she has to wear short shorts and big ass boobs. THis is an ORIGIN not the 30 year old Laura croft. Damn
- Reply
- Report
shyfonzie - December 20, 2010 7:50 a.m.

Her chest! It's realistic! PROGRESS
- Reply
- Report
derrderr420 - December 12, 2010 3:11 a.m.

looks human, except that creepy ass face thats covered in dirt and some kinda gel,she wears lip gloss in the middle of dungeons but doesn't bother to wash her face, they probably did that to keep uncanny valley away, but too bad, her face haunts my dreams
- Reply
- Report
Syncmaster - December 11, 2010 6:13 p.m.

also, wet white shirts can be sexy immediatly.. as well as torn and missing pieces of clothes. and lets not forget the crouch vision. so she can be sexy if they want it to be, if her personality isnt sexied up im ok with it.
- Reply
- Report
Syncmaster - December 11, 2010 6:10 p.m.

a realistic take appeals me. but like Drake, make her show pain, suffer and laugh, we dont want more superhuman female badasses around, and that concept just screams that
- Reply
- Report
conjabro - December 11, 2010 12:46 a.m.

This Looks Like Another Good Game I Hope Theres More Challenging Puzzles To Solve In This One, Kan't Wait to play it =]
- Reply
- Report
FauxFurry - December 10, 2010 9:57 p.m.

Did Lara Croft have a sexuality to begin with and I just didn't notice? She seemed completely asexual from what I've seen,keeping her entire focus on raiding tombs, recovering treasures and shooting animals/mercenaries. Unless it is exceedingly well hidden,there are no scenes involving Lara picking up or summoning hunks with artifacts to get it on with before sending them back to the nether world,making it into some kind of magically endowed version of Grand Theft Auto or God of War with a gun-slinging female protagonist. Maybe they're counting the previous rendition of Lara's continually screwing over of men (usually with bullets in the face)as sexuality? Either that or they made the common mistake of equating sexual attractiveness or bustiness with sexuality. Reducing Lara's bust size won't make her any more well-rounded a character (take that pun or leave it,it's all on you) any more than Peter Sellers made a superior James Bond to Daniel Craig because he was less handsome(and kept his clothes on at all times in the 1967 version of Casino Royale)and was thus more relatable. It might make her seem more average and thus approachable to the average male gamer,though,a decision that does seem motivated somewhat by sexuality.
- Reply
- Report
CaptCOMMANDO - December 10, 2010 9:06 p.m.

I enjoy this new take on Lara. And im hopeing for an Uncharted-esq game. I wouldn't be the least bit upset if it were, In fact, I would enjoy more platformers like uncharted. :D
- Reply
- Report
bron1417 - December 10, 2010 6:38 p.m.

this Lara looks really good. i've never been a huge Tomb Raider fan but i have payed attention whenever a new game with her was coming out because she's an icon. new Lara makes sense. looks more like a girl i would bring home to my parents.
- Reply
- Report
Mamudo - December 10, 2010 6:25 p.m.

Oh my pants!
- Reply
- Report
Queengamer - December 10, 2010 4:46 p.m.

I don't really care! Lara Croft still look sexy to me!
- Reply
- Report
noweareman - December 10, 2010 4:12 p.m.

Enough already with the PC BS We love lara the way GOD made her (or some graphics artist) If it ain't broke-DON'T FIX IT
- Reply
- Report
Lionzest7 - December 10, 2010 3:21 p.m.

I felt it was a nice design. She now looks a lot less like a barbie doll and more like a woman who would physically be able to crawl through tombs. She doesn't have the huge obscenely large chest to get in her way now, also it gives her a more human look. The old plastic looking sheen fit the old eras but it doesn't hold up as well anymore. All in all I felt that she does look like a strong female adventurer now. Not just some female with fakely large assets that would get in the way. Sort of like faith (mirrors edge). She wouldn't have been able to do all her stunts in the game if she had a big pair of knockers to get in the way.
- Reply
- Report
Japanaman - December 10, 2010 2:05 p.m.

So, Lara had plastic surgery when she was older... No wonder she looked so plasticy and had a big chest.
- Reply
- Report
razorwiretensho - December 10, 2010 1:59 p.m.

Yea, the new look sucks. Takes away all of her personality, and makes her into "generic badass chick" which is... Meh. I grew up playing the Tomb Raider games, but this just isn't Lara.
- Reply
- Report
CitizenWolfie - December 10, 2010 11:36 a.m.

Wow, money well spent on that boob job Mr. Drake!
- Reply
- Report
majorlynch - December 10, 2010 11:35 a.m.

I think this would be a great model for a future lara. Seriously her breasts were getting so big they could have gotten caught in a door. But sadly this will lower sales. Say what you want but the Tomb Raider games aren't a patch on Uncharted and Prince of persia. There are other games where people can get their platforming fix. Take away the 's' appeal and sales will fall because sadly thats what alot of the people buying the game are looking for. Not me naturally. I buy it for the intense deep memorable story.
- Reply
- Report
Unoriginal - December 10, 2010 8:48 a.m.

Wow, she looks like an actual human being.
- Reply
- Report
centrip - December 10, 2010 8:37 a.m.

Captain Price without the tash?
- Reply
- Report
beckman67 - December 10, 2010 6:15 a.m.

treasure hunter..origin story..piercing eyes..bla bla bla bla..ya, just make sure theres a nude code this time and we'll be fine. ;)
- Reply
- Report