The next Tomb Raider game will "unify" the reboot trilogy with the classic games

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Developer Crystal Dynamics tease a future instalment while announcing plans for the series' 25th anniversary

Shadow of the Tomb Raider
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Future Tomb Raider games will be set after the 90s classics, and will "unify" the original story with the 2013 reboot trilogy.

In a video announcing the franchise's 25th anniversary celebrations, which will be taking place throughout the year, Crystal Dynamics' executive producer, Dallas Dickinson, teased a "glimpse into the future" of Tomb Raider, handing over to game director Will Kerslake for more information.

Kerslake explained that "[Crystal Dynamics'] origin trilogy back in 2013 told the story of Lara's early days [...] while the classic games featured a seasoned and confident adventurer, travelling the world, unlocking its secrets, often standing alone against cataclysmic forces. We envision the future of Tomb Raider unfolding after these established adventures, telling stories that build upon the breadth of both Core Design and Crystal Dynamics' games, working to unify these timelines."

Thanks to Tomb Raider's "extensive history," however, that's easier said than done, and it sounds like Crystal Dynamics still has a long way to go before it'll be ready to show its next game. Kerslake says that "this is not an easy task, and we ask for your patience as we go through the development process. We don't have plans for a major game announcement in the near future."

While we'll probably be waiting a while for Lara's next video game outing, there'll be at least one tomb-raiding option to help pass the time. Yesterday, Netflix announced a Tomb Raider anime series that'll take place after the events of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. There's also the sequel to the 2018 film, which recently brought on Lovecraft County's Misha Green as writer and director after Ben Wheatley departed the project.

If you're looking for some more treasure-hunting vibes, check out our ranking of the best Uncharted games.

Ali Jones
Ali Jones
Managing Editor, News

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for news, shaping the news strategy across the team. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I've run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam's latest indie hit.