Everyone in the entertainment industry is absolutely obsessed with trilogies, so it's no surprise to learn that Crystal Dynamics has three games mapped out for Tomb Raider's current story arc. Square Enix boss Phil Rogers let the snippet slip during an interview with GameSpot earlier today, describing Lara Croft's latest exploits as part of a "trilogy". Presumably it'll plot her full progression from meek and mild deer hunter right the way through to one-woman dinosaur slayer.
The good news for PlayStation fans is that it looks like the company's finally got the message regarding timed exclusivity. "We don't see this over time becoming an Xbox IP," he said of the brand. "This is a story and we'll look back over the Tomb Raider franchise and history, and it will be a chapter where it was a timed exclusive with Xbox." For those out of the loop, Rise of the Tomb Raider won't launch on the PlayStation 4 until next November, after Microsoft locked up the title this holiday.
We're actually big fans of Tomb Raider's reboot, so as long as the developer has interesting stories to tell, then we'll gladly lap up more. Of course, it's going to be interesting to see just what the backroom deals concerning the latest instalment do to the series' long-term popularity; Lara Croft's an icon in Europe, but with Sony commanding a sizeable lead in the Old World, we're curious to see just how well the next entry fares. We suspect that there will be some regrets.
[source gamespot.com]
Comments 25
Even though I don't care too much about third-party exclusivity all that much, I can't help but think that this whole Rise of the Tomb Raider deal probably did more harm than good to both MS and Square.
I guess we'll see.
Maybe they will come up with a better title for the next one...
@SecondServing They'll just sell off a couple of million copies in their bargain bin Black Friday bundles and it will be fine.
I bet this is the last time Microsoft make deal with Square Enix...
MS paid SE for the timed exclusive deal.
While MS happily announced the exclusivity, SE been hinting and teasing here & there that they are going to release on PS4 as soon as possible...
kinda bad business partner if u ask me...
@SecondServing
They screwed up 2 years ago and are still very much confronted with that every day. MS lands a timed exclusive and the Internet goes mad, because a big evil corporation is literally paying so others can't play, a feeling I totally get. But the minute Sony announces SFV will be exclusive on the PS4, not even timed, it's celebrated as a victory for gaming.
Of course PS is more popular, but it do think it's strange that the exclusivity of SFV isn't really openly critisized, except for the true fans who are afraid of netcode and server problems. For me SF is a more iconic franchise than TR is, although Lara is an important character for gaming, and it's just silly that people with just an Xbox won't get to play it, just like it's insane PS4 owners will have to wait for a year to play TR.
But business wise it will most certainly backfire and although MS probably isn't interested anymore, they might as well make it a full Xbox exclusive, because I don't see PS4 owners picking this game up the way they would if it had a simultaneous launch.
That's nice CD, still done supporting the reboot series.
Been flip flopping between spells and nah I'm sorry, not supporting a series that will have the story entirely spoiled by fanboys who are mad that their console isn't selling the most.
Maybe when the inevitable reboot happens but I'm done with this iteration of the franchise.
I'm sick of seeing companies pick up franchises after they've been established, right after a reboot no less. In a way it'd be better for Tomb Raider to stay Xbox-exclusive for the last entry in the trilogy cause they'll have just finished burning their PlayStation fans. Can't say Sony's much better though.
The wise decision would be a simultaneous release next time, but it's impossible to predict what the brilliant business minds at SE will do.
@Vix
If the next one is supposed to be the last in a trilogy I'm thinking more along the lines of 'A Tomb Raider's End.' I mean, the series is already closer to Uncharted now than traditional Tomb Raider so why not just go all the way including how the game is titled?
As long as Square Enix gets enough funds to create an even better Tomb Raider game than the one before, I don't care about timed exclusivity on the green side of the force.
@whywai88 lol yea now that you mention it, it was a pretty crappy partnership cause SE kept constantly having to reassure the PlayStation fans the game is coming, which Microsoft obviously didn't want them to do so ppl would feel like they need to buy a Xbox one too get the game
I'm looking forward to any Tomb Raider game in this new series, just because the first game was that great! I'm not happy we have to wait till November 2016 for the next game, but they better learn from this and make that game cheaper for PlayStation fans, and make the 3rd bane come out the same time on all consoles.
Love tomb raider, and square enix
Language -Tasuki-
I wonder if the ps4 version will come out with extra content or with the dlc included. I have an Xbone, but I'm planning on getting a PS4 too, so I don't know if I should buy Tomb Raider this year or wait to see if there's a better version in a year.
I used to be ok with timed exclusives, but I'm now wondering if it's actually doing more harm than good.
@Boerewors
and yeah, that's so much crap about Street Fighter V. Where's the controversy in that? It seems so hypocritical.
Erm... She was cold-heartedly strangling grown men with a bow halfway through the first game. I'd say her character arc ended about there.
@TeslaChippie
yeah, but those were misogynistic cannibal rapists. Misogynistic cannibal rapists always deserve a pickaxe to the face. just sayin'
Honestly a full year after release im betting the graphics will seem a bit dated, it probably won't sell that much on PS4. Ill be playi g The Last Guardian by then ( wow thats actually gonna happen) maybe evn Horizon so Tomb Raider will likely take a back seat.
@Utena-mobile
Hey now >: They weren't all cannibals. But they probably would all try to rape Lara given the chance. At least one guy did.
@Vix No, no. It will be "Lunch time of the Tomb Raider'!
@Vix I see what you did there....
Im wondering how many bridges have been burned now though.
Given that the PR bloke from Square was going on about "MS having a good energy for TR", this comes out as a but if a "we better not look as if were all about the money".
I will wait for the second game to be a plus freebie before I get anything else Tomb Raider after such a long exclusively deal. That or for it to end up in a Flash Sale.
I don't blame SE for not releasing on PS4 until next holiday. If they released it a few months after XB1 it would be going up against the mighty Uncharted 4.
Im also kind of glad its not releasing on PS4 this November. Their are too many top games due out over the next few months. It also drops the same day as Fallout 4 which imo is madness. I've already had to push back the purchase of some of the the upcoming games given that their is only so many hours in the day to play. As much as I loved the last Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider would have also been pushed back into 2016 anyway.
Given how many big games Tomb Raider is going up against its going to be interesting to see how well it sells.
3rd Party exclusives for Xbox = Bad, very bad.
3rd Party exclusives for Playstation = Good, very good.
I think that might be part of there thinking with the timed exclusive with Xbox, Xbox doesn't have a Nathan Drake in there wheelhouse, so they wouldn't have the kind of competition there, that they would have on the PS4. There probably hoping by holiday 2016, that some of the Uncharted thunder will have died so they can move some units.
@Ryno 3rd party exclusives on Xbox that make sense = good good
3rd party exclusives that is a sequel to a story driven game and already had a multiplat first entry = load of bullcrap.
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