This week marks the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider, and fans can enjoy special messages from voice actors, discounts on several games in the series, and a behind-the-scenes look at the development process throughout the years.
Tomb Raider is one of the most popular video game series of all time with a rich 25-year history. Fans have played as the iconic Lara Croft in numerous titles and have seen her come to life on the big screen multiple times. To celebrate the 25th anniversary this week, Square Enix put together a page full of exciting content for fans to enjoy.
Fans can take a look at messages from several voice actors, artists, models, directors, and writers that brought the stories to life behind the scenes. To honor and celebrate these women, Square Enix is making a $25,000 donation to the International Rescue Committee, a “global humanitarian aid, relief, and development organization.”
Another $20,000 was donated to the Women for Women International in the name of Camilla Luddington, who was the voice actor and provided the motion capture in the recent survivor trilogy.
Fans can also download a 1995 design document from Core Design that includes character sketches and early storyboards. This piece of history includes a forward from Lara Cruz, as Lara Croft was not the official name yet. The document was brought back to life by Kameliya Minkova, a concept artist that “cleaned up” the original photocopy. Fans can download the PDF on the official page.
Tomb Raider fans can also now purchase the official Tomb Raider Cookbook and Travel Guide, containing over 40 recipes from the dozens of locations Lara Croft has visited throughout the series. The book also contains an overview of each location with travel tips if you plan on visiting one of these places.
Fans that want to dive back into the series can also enjoy multiple Tomb Raider titles at discounted rates. Tomb Raider games are currently on sale on several platforms, including Steam, the Square Enix E-Store, PlayStation, and the Xbox Games Store. Fans can find discounts as high as 89 percent off. If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can download Rise of the Tomb Raider for free on PC until Nov. 14.
The Nintendo Switch is also receiving two exciting Tomb Raider titles: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. These arcade-style games are coming to the console in 2022.
Tomb Raider Reloaded also received a nice bonus for older fans of the series. Fans will be able to select one of the three original voice actors for a limited time after the game launches. This adds a nice nostalgic feel for fans planning to pick up the mobile title.
Earlier this year, a Tomb Raider anime series was announced, with Hayley Atwell voicing Lara Croft. Showrunner Tasha Huo announced today that Allen Maldonado and Earl Baylon have joined the cast as Zip and Jonah Maiava, respectively.
Fans will also have multiple ways to experience the Tomb Raider series in person. Fans in London can enjoy Tomb Raider: The LIVE Experience, which “will give fans the opportunity to dive into the world of Tomb Raider as visitors work together in an immersive adventure, forging their own paths alongside recognizable characters from the franchise.”
The World of Lara Croft – 25 Years of Tomb Raider exhibition in Groningen, the Netherlands, will give fans a chance to experience the history of the series and explore Lara Croft’s effects on pop culture.
Tabletop fans can also enjoy Lara Croft’s Tomb Raiders, a new tabletop game that allows you to join Lara on an adventure. The rule book and first adventure: Lara Croft’s Tomb Raiders: Mark of the Phoenix, will release this holiday season as a “gift to fans.”
To round out the 25th-anniversary celebration, fans can download a virtual sticker pack and can continue to enjoy the 14 box art redesigns throughout the remainder of the year. Interested art collectors will be able to purchase a full set of prints at the end of the year, with all proceeds going to Girls Make Games. Crystal Dynamics will also be donating $25,000 to the 24-hour Extra Live charity drive to “start the celebration.” This event will raise funds for San Francisco Bay Area UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Interested fans can bid over rare Tomb Raider items on eBay for charity auctions that go live later today, so check back to see what part of history you can purchase.
