Thanks to the delay of Tomb Raider remake Throne of Atlantis into early 2027, it was looking like the year would be bringing two big Tomb Raider games to enjoy. Unfortunately, that will not be the case, as Tomb Raider: Catalyst, the brand-new entry set in India, has been pushed back to 2028.
While plenty of old-school fans are excited to battle more detailed dinosaurs and explore a modern take on a mythical civilization with Throne of Atlantis, many have also been looking forward to an entirely new adventure. A new entry for Lara Croft has been long overdue, as the survivor trilogy wrapped up all the way back in 2018 with Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Tomb Raider: Catalyst was always going to be exciting because of this large gap in releases, but because it’ll offer the first adventure of a unified Lara Croft that experienced both the Survivor trilogy and the character’s original adventures.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst’s Delay Makes 2027 Just a Bit Less Busy for the Series
Image via Crystal Dynamics
Image via Crystal Dynamics
Recently, while discussing the Luna streaming service with The Game Business, Amazon Games general manager Jeffrey Gattis highlighted the two big AAA Tomb Raider games in development. Here, the quiet delay for Catalyst was officially confirmed, as Gattis revealed that the new game will “follow on in 2028” as opposed to 2027 like its reveal trailer indicated. The February 12 release date for Tomb Raider: Throne of Atlantis remains locked in, but players anticipating a Tomb Raider double feature in 2027 are unfortunately out of luck. An exact 2028 release date for Tomb Raider: Catalyst was not provided, so there’s no telling when it will come out that year.
GameRant Quiz
How fans will respond to this delay will be interesting to see. On one hand, Amazon Games has come under fire after sparking concern about the future of IOI’s 007 games before backing down, not to mention the use of AI in Throne of Atlantis’ early development. While all AI assets have since been replaced by human work and art, the usage of any AI whatsoever is a breaking point for some gamers. At the same time, as critical of Amazon Games as some may be, many will likely be forgiving of this delay, as it’s crucial that the next new Tomb Raider game stick the landing. Plus, with Throne of Atlantis still dropping next year, players will still have fresh Tomb Raider content to enjoy in 2027. The breathing room may even allow both games to shine properly and have their own time in the spotlight.
Put the consoles in the correct order.
When Tomb Raider: Catalyst releases, players won’t just be controlling an older and sassier Lara Croft, but they’ll also be exploring a setting with plenty of fantastical elements. Those that missed this element of the series in the Survivor series — while supernatural elements were present, they were more tame — will surely be eager to battle “mysterious forces” and uncover “ancient secrets” in 2028. Tomb Raider: Catalyst also promises a huge world to explore, filled with intricate puzzles and lost tombs that make up the “largest” game in the franchise’s history. The game will also run on Unreal Engine 5, guaranteeing some beautiful graphics, albeit with some fears about performance issues given the engine’s history.
On the bright side, with Amazon’s Tomb Raider series starring Sophie Turner currently filming, it can be assumed that it will come out in late 2027 to fill the void of Catalyst. With both a TV show and a big budget remake for Tomb Raider next year, it will still be a good year for the IP, and now 2028 will also have something to look forward to.