A new Tomb Raider game is in development in Unreal Engine 5

A new Tomb Raider game is officially in development, using Unreal Engine 5.

During the State of Unreal showcase earlier today, in which Epic announced that its new engine would be available for all developers, starting today, Dallas Dickinson, franchise general manager for Tomb Raider at Crystal Dynamics, revealed the new game.

"Crystal Dynamics is proud to be part of the launch of UE5. This new engine translates into next-level tory and gameplay experiences. That's why, we are thrilled to announce today, that we have just started development of our next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5," Dickinson said. 

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

Dickinson revealed little else about the new game, but did say that Unreal Engine 5 "translates into next-level storytelling and gameplay experiences." That sounds as though Lara's next adventure will offer more of the narrative at the heart of her recent trilogy, but it's not clear whether that exact story will continue into the new games. Back in September, a Crystal Dynamics job listing claimed that the next Tomb Raider game would continue the series' "cinematic style" as part of the franchise's 25th anniversary celebrations, but we've heard little from Lara since then.

Unreal Engine 5 is out now for all developers, but you can get an early look at how the next generation of game development will feel thanks to Lyra Starter game, a simple shooter that you can edit on the fly within the new engine. The showcase also featured a look at what Gears 6 might look like, as well as how Epic attracted Cd Projekt Red for The Witcher 4. For a more in-depth look at what more you can expect, here are some more upcoming Unreal Engine 5 games.

Can't wait for more? Here's our list of the best Tomb Raider games, ranked.