Lara Croft Fans, Brace Yourselves: Tomb Raider: Catalyst Delayed to 2028!

Alright, gamers, grab a chair because we’ve got some bittersweet news from the world of Lara Croft. If you were eagerly anticipating the next big adventure, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, to drop in 2027, you might need to adjust your calendars. It looks like we’ll be waiting a bit longer, as the game has now reportedly been pushed back to 2028.

The heads-up came from none other than Jeffrey Gattis, the chief of Amazon Gaming, during a recent interview. While discussing Amazon’s hefty investment in the gaming sector – from casual mobile games to massive AAA titles – Gattis dropped the bombshell. He mentioned Amazon’s commitment to big projects, specifically highlighting their involvement with two Tomb Raider titles. According to him, Tomb Raider: Atlantis is still on track for February 12th of next year (2027), but Catalyst will now follow in 2028.

This news might sting a little, especially since Tomb Raider: Catalyst was originally announced with a 2027 target release date back at The Game Awards in 2025. While a firm date was never locked in stone, that 2027 window felt pretty solid for many fans.

Now, some might hope this was just a slip of the tongue or a mix-up of years, but it seems unlikely. When someone in Gattis’s position specifies “2028,” it generally carries weight. Furthermore, industry insiders have been pointing to some challenges at Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind Tomb Raider: Catalyst. Reports earlier this year indicated the studio had gone through its fourth round of layoffs in a single year. While studios often assure us that such cuts won’t impact ongoing projects, the reality is that losing talented team members and the psychological toll on those who remain can inevitably affect development timelines.

So, while it’s a bummer to hear about the delay, it might ultimately lead to a more polished and complete game when it finally arrives. For now, it seems like we’ll have to occupy our 2027 gaming schedules with other titles, perhaps even getting ready for Atlantis first. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this extra development time makes Tomb Raider: Catalyst an unforgettable experience!