At a Glance
- The original Tomb Raider launched October 24, 1996 on Sega Saturn — the franchise turned 30 this weekend.
- A new trailer for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis debuted at the TR30 Derby and MCM London events, and Polygon calls it “pure classic Lara Croft.”
- Legacy of Atlantis launches February 12, 2027 on Switch 2, PS5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
- Tomb Raider: Catalyst, set in northern India, is also due in 2027.
The timing could not be better. Tomb Raider turned 30 on October 24 — three decades to the day after the original launched on Sega Saturn in 1996 (before its PlayStation and PC release a month later) — and the anniversary weekend delivered the best look yet at the remake that honors it.
Legacy of Atlantis Revisits the Iconic Locations
The new trailer, shown at the TR30 Derby and MCM London events, is full of nostalgic moments made spectacular — or at least far more graphically realistic, as Polygon’s Michael McWhertor reports. It showcases the remake’s four major locations — Peru, Greece, Egypt, and Atlantis — and some of their most memorable set pieces: the giant Atlas puzzle, the monstrous Atlanteans Lara fights, and the unfortunate consequence of stepping on King Midas’ hand (yes, the trailer shows a cursed, golden Lara rendered with modern technology).
While much of what is on display is classic Lara Croft — including the acrobatics she pulls off mid-gunfight — Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog are not doing a one-to-one remake. The remake folds in modernizations too.
The “Focus” Meter and Modern Combat
The headline gameplay addition is Focus, a meter that charges as you fight. Game director Raul Siquera explained it this summer:
“When you’re taking damage, dealing damage, dodging attacks, you’re building your Focus meter. Focus allows you to slow down time around you and showcase some of the things that Lara used to do in 1996.”
In practice, Focus lets players slow time and unlock more of Lara’s iconic 1996-era moves as the meter fills — a bridge between the original’s twitchy platforming and a modern action game. The remake also adds skill trees and crafting, so it is a modernization rather than a museum piece.
Editions, Costumes and Early Access
The classic shorts-and-tank-top Lara is the default look in the remake. Players who prefer the Survivor trilogy outfit can grab it as a pre-order incentive, and the game’s deluxe and collector’s editions come with 48-hour early access for those itching to revisit the original.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches February 12, 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, from Amazon Game Studios, developed by Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog. Notably, the game slipped from its earlier window into 2027 — and Polygon argues the delay is exactly what saved it, a point the outlet made in a companion piece on why game delays are sometimes good.
Catalyst: The Bold 2027 Follow-Up
After Legacy of Atlantis, Crystal Dynamics has another Lara Croft adventure lined up: Tomb Raider: Catalyst, also slated for 2027. Per the official description, it “marks a bold direction for the series as Lara Croft embarks on a new adventure across Northern India,” set “in the wake of a mythical cataclysm that has unleashed ancient secrets and awakened the mysterious forces that guard them.”
That gives the franchise a rare one-two punch in a single year: a faithful-but-modernized return to where it began, and a forward-looking sequel that pushes Lara somewhere the series has never gone.
We will keep this page updated as more anniversary reveals land. For everything else shipping next year, see our fall 2026 release calendar, and browse the rest of our gaming news coverage.
That Catalyst footage is the best Tomb Raider has looked since the reboot reveal. An experienced Lara in Unreal Engine 5 exploring post-Underworld India is exactly the sequel I wanted.
30 years since the original and we get a Flying Wild Hog remake of the 1996 game AND a new mainline in 2027? The franchise is healthier than it has been in twenty years.
Legacy of Atlantis being a faithful remake is the right call. The traps and grid-based platforming of the original need careful modernization, and the gameplay sneak peek suggests they respect the source.