Tomb Raider: Anniversary
"Tomb Raider" is the first game in the titular franchise, and introduced the series' gameplay standards and its protagonist Lara Croft. Developed by British studio Core Design, "Tomb Raider" was a commercial and critical success, and was followed by five successive games between 1996 and 2000. Their sixth "Tomb Raider" game "" was beset by developmental problems and rushed to release, resulting in low sales and mixed critical reception. The game's failure and Core Design's fatigue with the series prompted franchise publisher Eidos Interactive to move development of "Tomb Raider" to the American studio Crystal Dynamics, who rebooted the franchise with "". "Legend" released in 2006 to critical and commercial success.
Tomb Raider: Legend
British-based studio Core Design developed the "Tomb Raider" series until 2003. Following the successful release of the original game in 1996, they produced four successive sequels between 1997 and 2000. Their sixth and last "Tomb Raider" game, "", beset by developmental problems, was rushed to an early release to tie in with the 2003 movie "", a sequel to the . The game was a critical failure due to its technical problems and blamed for the commercial failure of "The Cradle of Life" by Paramount Pictures. The failure of "The Angel of Darkness"—in addition to general fatigue with the series among Core Design staff—prompted the cancellation of planned sequels, and Eidos Interactive moved development responsibilities to another studio.