Tomb Raider (2013 video game)
Crystal Dynamics began development of "Tomb Raider" soon after the release of "" in 2008. Rather than a sequel, the team decided to completely reboot the series, re-establishing the origins of Lara Croft for the second time, following "". "Tomb Raider" is set on Yamatai, an island from which Lara, who is untested and not yet the battle-hardened explorer she is in other titles in the series, must save her friends and escape while being hunted down by a malevolent cult. Gameplay elements focus more on survival, although exploration is used within the game when exploring the island and various optional tombs. It is also the first game in the series to have multiplayer and the first game to be published by Square Enix, after the latter's acquisition of Eidos Interactive in 2009. Camilla Luddington was announced to voice and perform as Lara Croft in 2010, replacing Keeley Hawes.
Tomb Raider
After the critical backlash of "The Angel of Darkness", Eidos decided to take production of the "Tomb Raider" series out of Core Design's hands and give it to another subsidiary studio. Production of the next game was given to Crystal Dynamics, a studio that had made its name with the "Legacy of Kain" series. Eidos CEO Ian Livingstone stated that while the critical failure of "The Angel of Darkness" was a major reason for taking the series away from Core Design, the decision was also motivated by their inordinate struggles with developing for the PlayStation 2, and by how many members of the Core team had complained that they were "burnt out" on "Tomb Raider". He added that "For a UK company, moving the development of its prized asset from Derby to California was a big decision to make but, as it turned out, absolutely the right one to make." One of the main priorities for both Eidos and Crystal Dynamics was to regain the fanbase's trust in the brand, along with helping the series reclaim the status and selling power it had before "The Angel of Darkness" release. Their main goal was to put Lara back inside tombs, with their physics-based engine enabling more intricate puzzles. After "Legend" was finished, the team decided to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the series by remaking the original game, rebuilding the environments and redesigning the story to fit in with the events and gameplay of "Legend". Alongside the development of "Anniversary", an entry for seventh-generation hardware was in development, although it used established gaming architecture from "Legend" and this caused problems for the development team. In 2009, the year after the release of "Underworld", Eidos was bought by Square Enix and later renamed Square Enix Europe, giving Square Enix ownership of the "Tomb Raider" franchise.