Tomb Raider
The first entry in the series "Tomb Raider" was released in 1996 for personal computers (PC), PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles. The Saturn and PlayStation versions were released in Japan in 1997. The second game, "Tomb Raider II", launched in 1997, again for PC and PlayStation. A month before release, Eidos finalised a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment to keep the console version of "Tomb Raider II" and future games exclusive to PlayStation until the year 2000. The PlayStation version was released in Japan in 1998. "Tomb Raider III" launched in 1998. As with "Tomb Raider II", the PlayStation version released in Japan the following year. The fourth consecutive title in the series, "", released in 1999. In 2000, with the end of the PlayStation exclusivity deal, the game also released on the Dreamcast. In Japan, both console versions released the following year. "Tomb Raider Chronicles" released in 2000 on the same platforms as "The Last Revelation", with the PlayStation version's Japanese release as before coming the following year.
Tomb Raider (1996 video game)
An infamous footnote in Lara's history is the so-called "Nude Raider" patch. This patch was created externally and was never housed on the Eidos or Core websites. The patch, when added to an existing "Tomb Raider" game (PC-based versions only), caused Lara to appear naked. Contrary to rumour, there is no nude code in any console version of the game. In 1999, Core Design considered taking legal action against websites, which hosted nude pictures of Lara Croft, stating that "we have a large number of young fans and we don't want them stumbling across the pictures when they do a general search for "Tomb Raider"". In April 2004, it was falsely alleged that an insider from Eidos reported to a "Tomb Raider" electronic mailing list that Eidos had begun suing gamers using the "Nude Raider" patches. Eidos sent cease and desist letters to the owners of nuderaider.com who were hosting the "Nude Raider" patch, enforcing their copyright of "Tomb Raider". Sites depicting nude images of Lara Croft have been sent cease and desist notices and shut down, and Eidos Interactive was awarded the rights to the domain name "nuderaider.com".