Crystal Dynamics confirmed that it is working on a new Tomb Raider game that will use Unreal Engine 5, a game engine now available to all developers.
At the end of Epic Games’ The State of Unreal 2022 presentation, which marked the wide release of Unreal Engine 5 to all developers, Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider franchise general manager Dallas Dickinson confirmed the new project. No gameplay or in-engine development footage was shown, but Dickinson voiced his enthusiasm for using Unreal Engine 5 to create the project.
“This new engine translates into next-level storytelling in gameplay experiences, and that’s why we are thrilled to announce today that we have just started development of our next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5,” he said. “Our goal is to push the envelope of fidelity and to deliver the high-quality cinematic action-adventure experience that fans deserve from both Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider franchise.”
Crystal Dynamics is incredibly excited about the future of Unreal and how it will help us take our storytelling to the next level. That's why we're proud to announce that our next #tombraider game is being built on Unreal Engine 5! pic.twitter.com/UFMiWzJAZc
— Tomb Raider (@tombraider) April 5, 2022
There are no new story or gameplay details. However, Crystal Dynamics has previously voiced its intention to connect the most recent trilogy and the classic titles with new Tomb Raider media. Outside of Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics is currently working on post-launch support for Marvel’s Avengers and is assisting The Initiative in developing the next Perfect Dark game, which also uses Unreal Engine 5. Eidos Montreal, not Crystal Dynamics, actually developed Shadow of the Tomb Raider, so this marks the studio’s return to the series.
The new Tomb Raider is one of several brand-new games that will use Unreal Engine 5, as many studios like Crystal Dynamics and The Witcher’s CD Projekt Red have committed to using the game engine for their next titles. The new engine features notable improvements over Unreal Engine 4, namely its Lumen global illumination system and Nanite technology, allowing for increased geometric detail and fidelity.
It sounds like this new Tomb Raider is early in development, so it will likely be a while before we hear more about it. Hopefully, it’s an awesome showcase of Unreal Engine 5’s power when it launches, presumably only on current-gen platforms.
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