It was only 2006 when Crystal Dynamics gave Lara Croft her first big facelift and reinvented the ailing Tomb Raider series with Tomb Raider: Legend. The new Lara Croft was still a sex symbol, but boasted a more realistic physique, new acrobatic abilities, and overhauled combat abilities. She shone in Anniversary, but a poor North American showing for Tomb Raider: Underworld just made the new Lara Croft into the old Lara Croft.
Eidos is considering revising the look and play of her Tomb Raider adventures, which may see efforts to make her more female-friendly, in an attempt to revive sales of games starring the pneumatic archaeologist.
Robert Brent, the chief financial officer of Eidos, said: “We need to look at everything, as we develop the next game. Look at how Batman changed succesfully, from the rather sad character of the Michael Keaton era to the noir style of The Dark Knight.”
A lot is going to be on the line for Crystal Dynamics with the next Tomb Raider title. The developer slashed 30 positions with Underworld's weak sales as the cited reason, while committing itself to full-time development on the Tomb Raider franchise. If Lara Croft's new female-oriented direction fails to take off, then she may have seen her last revamp.
