Rumor: Leaked photos tease Tomb Raider reboot (Update)

Update: We were contacted by Nielsen Entertainment to remove the leaked image, and we obliged (though at this point, a good Google search will help you find what you're looking for). They also asked us to remove the story, adding just a little bit more credence to the rumor. Considering the source, we're guessing the images were part of a Nielsen poll to see how people would react to Lara's new look, and to see what they thought of the few gameplay details which were revealed. For what it's worth, we think it sounds awesome! Original story is below.

We're usually pretty hesitant when it comes to accepting the testimony of moles at face value, but this story's got a bit of credibility -- some underground agent, working in conjunction with Four Player Co-Op, snagged some supposed screengrabs of concept art and details for a new Tomb Raider game. According to the text accompanying the art, Lara's new adventure will be open-world, will feature a reworked combat system and -- most importantly -- will serve as an origin story for the young heiress.

Anonymity breeds contempt in the gaming news world -- however, this report is supported by four pieces of news that have dropped in the past two months:

Eidos' president said the next Tomb Raider game will "reinvigorate the franchise."
Crystal Dynamics is hiring folks to work on an installment in a "AAA franchise."
Toby Gard, the series' creator, is leading a design group for an "unannounced project."
Eidos is terrible at keeping its secret games under wraps.

Tags: crystal-dynamics, eidos, mole, reboot, rumor, tomb-raider

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 11th 2009 12:33PM

Thats what.......the 6th reboot or something? How is this reboot any different?

Ben Gilbert @ Jul 11th 2009 12:37PM

Open world? Ummmm ... raiding ... tombs? Yeah, I'm with you. No idea.

Bowser Rogozhin: Death of a Ladies Man @ Jul 11th 2009 12:44PM

This game will feature primitive CGI, rigid voice acting, dull storylines and, oh, Lara Croft will have blue skin.

Snowblind @ Jul 11th 2009 1:39PM

The only reboot so far has been Legend, when Eidos took the series from Core and gave it to Crystal Dynamics.

Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 11th 2009 2:03PM

After tomb raider 3, all I've heard is 'the next tomb raider will be epic, will have this and that, will be a reboot, blah blah blah", I'm still waiting for a decent tomb raider ¬_¬ They should work with Naughty Dog. I'm sorry, I've just lost the will to pointlessly shoot dogs, endangered species, plants, dinosaurs and anything else they can possibly make move and attack you, oh yeah, great, thats all in matrix slo mo mode now. You also can't forget the fact that all the traps are suspiciously easy considering there is always conveniently something like a crate nearby to hold a door open.

MaliceMajorE15 @ Jul 11th 2009 2:16PM

@bowser

I think the game you are thinking of is " XMEN: revenge of Mystique"

Bastard11 @ Jul 11th 2009 2:51PM

Yuo mindless trolls just buy into whatever the gaming media says. Did you even play "Legend" or did you just say "poo poo" because the sites told you it wasn't the most amazing game ever made.

It wasn't, it didn't break new ground or blow anyone away.. but it was a good game.
The presentation was much better, voice acting was decent enough, new Lara model was better and while the gameplay was familiar it played a lot smoother than previous installments. All around it was the best Tomb Raider game since the first.. maybe even better than that. (Not really a TR fan so I won't presume to make that call.)

The point is.. so many people trash good games as if it were fashionable.. like somehow having the same opinion as a bunch of sweaty geeks who chronically masturbate onto their keyboards and avoid the sun like vampires validates you?

Try thinking for yourself once in a while.

Snowblind @ Jul 11th 2009 3:27PM

You're aware that Uncharted was basically a direct rip of Tomb Raider Legend? It's definitely worth playing and was a great reboot. The only thing the rebooted TR games failed at was combat, and that's what Uncharted did really well.

WiredKnight @ Jul 11th 2009 3:51PM

But it's not even a reboot. They're calling it an "origin story," which makes it a prequel.

sony boy @ Jul 11th 2009 4:14PM

umm... actually uncharted is better than tomb raider in 99% every way.

It's half gears and half tomb raider and it's awesome.

Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 11th 2009 4:14PM

@ Bastard11: So playing all the tomb raiders is listening to media? I wouldn't have a leg to stand on if I hadn't played them all before making my opinion. But I have, and my opinion remains the same, yes legend was a nice 'little' reboot, but I still wouldn't
classify it as a breath of fresh air.

@ Snowblind: Maybe so, which is good thing to a certain extent because Legend is the last decent TR I've played, anniversary was meh. Not only that, I'm just bored of Lara in particular overall, the character development is rather dire, so now shes more of a cardboard cutout rather then a character I can actually 'like'. I don't even see her as british anymore :| It sounds so put on its unbelievable.

I dunno, TR 1 and 2 both had me hooked, 3 had me hooked but not as much as the first 2, everything after that just seemed to be disasterous, I can see they tried to implement new gameplay styles, characters and even tried to sort out the storyline, but the general jist of it is the same, find a trap, find a crate to stop the trap, find a locked door, find a crate to open the locked door, find another locked door, find a lever to open one side of the locked door, find another lever to open the other locked door, shoot some bears, shoot some monkeys, shoot some evil organisation men trying to steal artifacts, shoot more evil men. I'm just wondering what the next installment will be like if this were to keep up, shoot more evil men? On a horse instead of a bike this time?

Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 11th 2009 4:24PM

Besides, Lara should be happily married with two kids by now, they should be the next adventurers.

To top it all off, Megan Fox gets to be the next films Lara apparently, perfect considering Lara's been loosing personality recently.

Zach S @ Jul 11th 2009 5:44PM

It kinda looks like Lara Croft with Zombies and a bow-and-arrow, which makes no freaking sense BUT WHATEVER. Anyhow, for the record, TR:Legend was great.

Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 11th 2009 6:45PM

Since its owned by Square now, I guess she'll have some kind of sword bigger then herself to jump around with, or maybe dante-like gun skills.

The Baron @ Jul 12th 2009 10:26AM

I can't think of a cool way to make it work. Maybe a Far Cry 2 style 'survival' game where she has to explore and chase some artifact or lost city, while managing her health and ammo in a Crysis-style open jungle?

patrickhuynguyen @ Jul 11th 2009 12:38PM

is that middle-aged Croft??? Looks like Diane Lane

Wiizer (Michael Pachter MUST DIE.. Professionally) @ Jul 11th 2009 12:57PM

No, no... THIS is middle-aged Croft:

http://fidgit.com/Palin_tomb_radier.jpg

Obie @ Jul 11th 2009 1:29PM

Diane Lane? Watch her in the movie "Unfaithful"....Roooowr!

Chris Are @ Jul 11th 2009 3:06PM

@Wilzer

I hate you for that. That seriously creeped me out.

chispito @ Jul 11th 2009 12:39PM

A bow? Eh... doubt it.

Sean Fagan @ Jul 11th 2009 12:42PM

And so the barkeeper asks "Why the long face?"

Zinger314 @ Jul 11th 2009 12:44PM

You mean "reboobt," right? ;)

oOWallaceOo @ Jul 11th 2009 12:53PM

So Eidos are milking Lara Croft with a reboobt ?

ryan @ Jul 11th 2009 1:15PM

Yes, they will milk this reboobt like all the other reboobts. I feel so immature right now...>_>

Evi1d33d @ Jul 11th 2009 6:59PM

Mmmm, Lora Croft milk.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 11th 2009 12:50PM

We already have Uncharted, complete with Amy Hennig in the mix.

pcs800 @ Jul 11th 2009 12:53PM

This is great news for me, I loved every TR game made and will keep buying them as long as they keep making them.

Cerpin Taxt @ Jul 11th 2009 12:56PM

Holy crap. This looks awesome...but not very Tomb Raider-like (a plus?).

ottoman673 @ Jul 11th 2009 12:56PM

I don't get what was so wrong with the most recent tomb raider, other than the fact that it didn't end right...

I actually rather enjoyed it.

Wiizer (Michael Pachter MUST DIE.. Professionally) @ Jul 11th 2009 1:03PM

I loved Tomb Raider Legend... I wish they would just go back to those basics.

In Underworld, there were many in-game glitches and the storyline was watered down to:

"Oh, Natla's back again... somehow."
"Amanda's back, too. They're going to destroy Lara."

What happened with that? It was so odd. They had so much potential from Legend, and they didn't follow through.

Trev_tron @ Jul 11th 2009 1:04PM

I think she looks rather like a dude.

ryan @ Jul 11th 2009 1:12PM

Give her some lipstick and some implants and she'll be ready for your Tomb Raidin fantasies. :p

I like this new look for her, looks like she belongs in Uncharted's universe now.

Draken Stark @ Jul 11th 2009 1:05PM

ReBoot OMG I loved that SHOW!!!!

ZaxCG2 @ Jul 11th 2009 6:28PM

I CAN'T BELIEVE TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ARE CROSSING OVER. THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

max @ Jul 11th 2009 1:05PM

don't forget that Megan Fox is rumored to be replacing Angelina Jolie in the new Tomb Raider movie reboot origin story.

james @ Jul 11th 2009 1:19PM

god i hope not. shes fuckin smokin but she cant act worth a shit.

HSOL @ Jul 11th 2009 2:35PM

She needs to take it easy on those Botox injections. I can't tell whether she's happy or constipated.

K4Lic0 @ Jul 11th 2009 1:16PM

Hey now.. this could be a good thing. New controls? Better cameras? Better plot?

Okay, this could be wishful thinking..

Hashbrown Hunter (OneGiantCluster.blogspot.com) @ Jul 11th 2009 6:44PM

...that's what she said?

Reuben @ Jul 11th 2009 1:22PM

I guess I'll never see more Legacy of Kain after all.

buddyleer @ Jul 11th 2009 1:25PM

Agreed. What a shame.

sinergy @ Jul 11th 2009 2:30PM

"Out of my way, peasant! The stench of the fields hangs over you like a
pall!" - Kain

Snowblind @ Jul 11th 2009 1:34PM

Crystal Dynamics did great work rebooting the series with Legend, and the only problems with Underworld came about because Eidos once again rushed them to release the game (which is the reason the series needed a reboot to begin with).

I really don't see the need to do it again, maybe in a few years when people might care again, but unless this game somehow manages to top Uncharted 2, I doubt it'll draw in new fans, and the current fans are just going to get sick of constant reboots.

It could be good.. But just let Crystal Dynamics do what they want, instead of pressuring them for a Christmas release - that's why Underworld sucked!

Mr Khan @ Jul 11th 2009 2:26PM

And why it failed to sell well, i'll warrant.

Gibbeynater @ Jul 11th 2009 1:52PM

In what universe is Tomb Raider considered a "AAA Franchise"?

Snowblind @ Jul 11th 2009 1:56PM

The original Tomb Raider was revolutionary and pretty much defined all 3D adventure games that came after it. We certainly wouldn't have games like Uncharted without it.

It's undeniably slipped, but they still sell millions, and if more time and effort went into development it could easily regain its status.