Rise of the Tomb Raider

Zero-Cool

EDIT: Now confirmed this is just a timed exclusive for Xbox One and will eventually be coming to PS4 (also possibly last gen consoles too). I still love you Tomb Raider, don't scare me like that again ok? x

Dear Tomb Raider Community,
As you may have seen, we’ve just announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider, coming Holiday 2015, is exclusively on Xbox. We consider all of you to be the lifeblood of Tomb Raider and the work we do at Crystal. I’d like to give you some insight into this decision, and why we feel this is the very best thing for the Tomb Raider sequel we’re creating at the studio.
Tomb Raider in 2013 was a success due in large part to your continued support. Our goal has always been to deliver something truly special with Rise of the Tomb Raider. Today’s announcement with Microsoft is one step to help us put Tomb Raider on top of action adventure gaming. Our friends at Microsoft have always seen huge potential in Tomb Raider and have believed in our vision since our first unveil with them on their stage at E3 2011. We know they will get behind this game more than any support we have had from them in the past - we believe this will be a step to really forging the Tomb Raider brand as one of the biggest in gaming, with the help, belief and backing of a major partner like Microsoft.
This doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our fans who only play on PlayStation or on PC. Those are great systems, with great partners, and amazing communities. We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4.
We know that there are probably many more questions and concerns. Please do send them to us, and we’ll answer to the best of our ability. Meanwhile we’re going all out to try and make something truly special - the most ambitious Tomb Raider game ever built.
Thanks,
Darrell Gallagher
Crystal Dynamics Head of Studios

Generic Dreadhead

How to cope with Tomb Raider X-Box One Exclusivity in 3 easy steps:

• Read Article
• Play Uncharted Series
• Be Happy

:pac:

SouthTippBass

Bastards.

Kerplunk124

Excellent scoop by MS. Gotta give MS respect, they are fighting back.

Penn

Kerplunk124 wrote: »

Excellent scoop by MS. Gotta give MS respect, they are fighting back.

Agreed. In fairness to them, Tomb Raider is a big name and for it to become exclusive to Xbox, considering its deep roots with Playstation, is a hell of a move. Didn't see it coming at all.

johnny_ultimate

Don't have much interest in this game, thought the first massively squandered its potential in favour of mindless blockbuster thrills and turning Lara into an invincible superhero. There's potential in a sequel, but the developers need to trust themselves far more than they did first time around and expand on the survival / exploration mechanics and more grounded tone they teased in the opening sections of the first game. Actually much more interested in Temple of Osiris, as its predecessor was a whole lot of fun, and a smarter upgrade of the tone and gameplay of the original titles in the series.

That said, very interesting to see a major franchise go exclusive, given the last console generation saw so many existing third party properties go multi-platform - a situation I would have imagined was dictated more by financial necessity than particular fondness for the hardware. Microsoft obviously made a very generous offer indeed!

Otacon

sheehy83 wrote: »

This doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our fans who only play on PlayStation or on PC. Those are great systems, with great partners, and amazing communities. We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4.
...
Darrell Gallagher
Crystal Dynamics Head of Studios

How I picture Darrell's reaction for the fans...

Kiith

I've still not played the first one, but it's surprising to see it go exclusive. The last thing we want it more games going back to console exclusives.



That's what i read after seeing their statement.

198321

It seems to me xbox people prefer shooters, halo, titanfall, destiny, and 1. call of duty.

I see story driven games more on Playstation. I don't see huge % of xbox owners be very interested in Tomb Raider.

I guess Call of duty exclusive dlc would be more popular than Tomb Raider exclusivity for xbox owners.

Generic Dreadhead

198321 wrote: »

I don't see huge % of xbox owners be very interested in Tomb Raider.

Oh they'll become very interested in it all of a sudden now :pac::pac::pac:

super_furry

Is Tomb Raider still the big 'event' game that it was? Not being smart, I genuinely have no idea how the last one did.

Zero-Cool

super_furry wrote: »

Is Tomb Raider still the big 'event' game that it was? Not being smart, I genuinely have no idea how the last one did.

I don't even know why I'm so pi$$ed off about it, I didn't really enjoy the last game and just cleared it as fast as I could and traded it. The trailer for the new one looks very interesting but would be crap if they kept the same format as the first one without some changes. It is a AAA release so it will be treated big but will never reach Uncharted heights.

.ak

FFS. I hate exclusives. Can't we all just get along?

.ak

super_furry wrote: »

Is Tomb Raider still the big 'event' game that it was? Not being smart, I genuinely have no idea how the last one did.

The last one was fantastic. I say that as someone who really doesn't like the series at all.

NTMK

super_furry wrote: »

Is Tomb Raider still the big 'event' game that it was? Not being smart, I genuinely have no idea how the last one did.

4-5 mill units not back given the series went through the ****ter

I dont understand how people are blaming Crystal Dynamics though they're only the devs square made this decision

Generic Dreadhead

.ak wrote: »

The last one was good if you have played Uncharted, it was fantastic great if you've never played Uncharted

FYP :P

.ak

Ah I dunno. I've played them both and I'd stick by what I said. Considering how bad the series was they did an absolutely fantastic job of rebranding it, even if they did lift a lot from Uncharted.

Zero-Cool

NTMK wrote: »

4-5 mill units not back given the series went through the ****ter

I dont understand how people are blaming Crystal Dynamics though they're only the devs square made this decision

Well from the letter it sounds as if head of Crystal Dynamics is taking responsibility for it, we might never find out what is actually going on in the background. Plus, I don't like being mad at Square since they revived Sleeping Dogs when Activision canned it

198321

Just reading somewhere it should be rembranded as
Fall of the Tomb Raider

NTMK

sheehy83 wrote: »

Well from the letter it sounds as if head of Crystal Dynamics is taking responsibility for it, we might never find out what is actually going on in the background. Plus, I don't like being mad at Square since they revived Sleeping Dogs when Activision canned it

Square own the rights to tomb raider and CD themselves, they made the call a dev (esp a dev with a pub parent) can make that call unless they own the IP.

and when has a publisher own up to this kind of ****

Square are shiitbags for continuing to release ****e FF games

J. Marston

Plenty more fish in the sea. Your loss, Lara.



Ya bitch.

Riesen_Meal

Bout time the X1 got a decent exclusive, still won't make me buy one though, if my boys get one I'll play that on it....

Zero-Cool

NTMK wrote: »

Square are shiitbags for continuing to release ****e FF games

Yeah still waiting for Final Fantasy VII remake!!

lertsnim

Exclusive bollocks. Can't see it making me rush out for XB1 though.

Riesen_Meal

lertsnim wrote: »

Exclusive bollocks. Can't see it making me rush out for XB1 though.

Nor will most of these :

http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/tomb_raider_definitive_edition/news/tomb_raider_definitive_edition_sells_over_twice_as_much_on_ps4_than_xbox_one.html

Adamantium

So not only do Square have gone so far up their arse they can't make a decent game, they also fail at being a decent publisher.

Either that or this is the whole FFVII fiasco of Squaresoft moving mainline FINAL FANTASY from Nintendo to Sony in the 90's, again.

TR 2013 sold like 4 million copies and was a disappointment to Square, soooooo lets release the sequel exclusively on the Xbone, the system with the smallest user base. Logic.

Man this company, I'm never NOT shocked by the levels of stupidity they show.

Still though what an ODD choice for MS to buy, it doesn't scream system seller or feel like it fits with XBOX One image.

gizmo

Adamantium wrote: »

TR 2013 sold like 4 million copies and was a disappointment to Square, soooooo lets release the sequel exclusively on the Xbone, the system with the smallest user base. Logic.

Man this company, I'm never NOT shocked by the levels of stupidity they show.

In that case wouldn't the logical conclusion be that MS paid so much for exclusivity that Square deemed it in their financial interest to go with them? Doubly so if they were to factor in the additional savings made from not being multi-platform.

Sidenote, the game eventually hit Square's retail expectations, at least in terms of unit sales, by January of this year.

Adamantium wrote: »

Still though what an ODD choice for MS to buy, it doesn't scream system seller or feel like it fits with XBOX One image.

If anyone could be accused of making a poor decision here then yes, I'd agree it's MS. Then again, they still seem to refuse to follow in Sony's footsteps and invest in an actual studio to develop titles for them, instead preferring to shelling out on platform exclusivity, whether it's wholly or via specific content.

EoinMcLovin

Plenty of people are pissed that it is an XbOne exclusive
http://kotaku.com/people-are-pissed-that-tomb-raider-is-an-xbox-exclusive-1620094498?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

gizmo

EoinMcLovin wrote: »

Plenty of people are pissed that it is an XbOne exclusive
http://kotaku.com/people-are-pissed-that-tomb-raider-is-an-xbox-exclusive-1620094498?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

Keighley's tweet is a pretty strong indication that it's a timed exclusive. Square's decision makes even more sense now.

EoinMcLovin

gizmo wrote: »

Keighley's tweet is a pretty strong indication that it's a timed exclusive. Square's decision makes even more sense now.

They probably are saying its exclusive for the time being and then by 2016 they will announce it for PS4 and PC. Look at Mass Effect that was Xbox exclusive and then after a few years it was released on PS3. It really needs to be clarified if its timed exclusive or not. From twitter

Square Enix official statement:
"Coming holiday 2015, ROTTR is exclusively on Xbox - we have no further comment to make at this time."

gizmo

EoinMcLovin wrote: »

They probably are saying its exclusive for the time being and then by 2016 they will announce it for PS4 and PC. Look at Mass Effect that was Xbox exclusive and then after a few years it was released on PS3. It really needs to be clarified if its timed exclusive or not. From twitter

Yep on the first point, probably launch it on PS4 and PC with additional content and a tagline.

Mass Effect was slightly different though as that was a game published by Microsoft Games Studios but Bioware retained the IP. Then when Bioware were acquired by EA they would have been able to go multi-platform.

richymcdermott

this would of upset me if it was old school tomb raider that you actually Raided Tombs Instead of a game trying so hard to try to make a female badass by swearing and mowing down enemies like a psychopath.

Lara croft guardian of light was a much better title than what was the reboot

EoinMcLovin

gizmo wrote: »

Mass Effect was slightly different though as that was a game published by Microsoft Games Studios but Bioware retained the IP. Then when Bioware were acquired by EA they would have been able to go multi-platform.

that makes sense

cloud493

Anyone who thinks square only makes bad final fantasy games needs to play bravely default, an excellent RPG and final fantasy in all but name :pac:

CastorTroy

They probably aren't looking to repeat the Resident Evil 4 debacle where before it was released as an "exclusive" for Gamecube, they announced it was coming to PS2. So that would've affected sales. Probably the same here where they can't say it's timed (if it is) or that would kind of miss the point

The Chocolate Thunder

I'm fortunate enough to own both consoles, but nonetheless, I feel for those who only own a Playstation having grown up with it myself and Tomb Raider games being a staple of that. My brother only owns a Playstation and has been a supporter of the franchise since the PS1 days, so I can only imagine his reaction to this.

What makes things weirder is that Square Enix were bemoaning the lack of sales of the last game on last gen consoles and PC, now it's just Xbox One with the smaller fanbase out of the consoles quite possibly. Guess the lumps of cash Microsoft threw at them will ease any poor sales somewhat.

Mal-Adjusted

to be honest, after Deadrising 3 and Ryse, when i hear Xbox one exclusive, i just assume it's going to be on Steam within a year

cloud493

From the way its being phrased, its definitely a timed exclusive. Phew.

Magill

So in other words... coming to xbox end of 2015... with the definitive PS4 version in February 2016 ?

I guess Square Enix's thinking is along the lines of....

Take lots of MS's money
Avoid direct competition with Uncharted 4 and sell Tomb Raider to all the Xbox crowd in 2015
Outsell the Xbox version 3-1 on the PS4 in 2016


... Profit ?

Zero-Cool

That would actually be a great plan if true.

Potential-Monke

It's definitely a kick in the teeth for long time fans of the series, but money talks. And i'd put money on it only being a timed exclusive.

Shiminay

Conspiracy Theory time:
Square Enix were pissed because it initially sell as much as they said it would in order to secure a future exclusivity deal for a rebooted big name franchise. Now that it eventually has, the exclusivity deal they planned has kicked into effect.

Also, Chem Trails.... or something. I'm new to this conspiracy theory stuff...

Penn

Magill wrote: »

So in other words... coming to xbox end of 2015... with the definitive PS4 version in February 2016 ?

I guess Square Enix's thinking is along the lines of....

Take lots of MS's money
Avoid direct competition with Uncharted 4 and sell Tomb Raider to all the Xbox crowd in 2015
Outsell the Xbox version 3-1 on the PS4 in 2016


... Profit ?

I really don't think it's Square Enix's plan. If anything, I'd say MS paid for the timed exclusive but added the caveat that no-one was allowed to mention it was eventually coming to PS4 too. Use it as a hook to sell more XBOs in the run up to Christmas 2015, as well as make those with both consoles get it on XBO instead of possibly getting it on PS4.

super_furry

Thinking about it, it's a nice bonus for Xbox One owners, but is anyone really going to buy a console for Tomb Raider? If they had got FIFA or COD, then you could see it having an impact but would you really chose one console over another just so you could play Tomb Raider?

Gamer Bhoy 89

Tomb Raider as a single console exclusive doesn't roll off the tongue very easy, it doesn't sound right. It has always been on many platforms since it first came around in the mid-90s. I'm going to remain in denial that this will ever happen for the remainder of it's development because this can't happen. Any other game I wouldn't care about, but Tomb Raider?

I don't like this idea and I hope they change their minds.

super_furry

In fairness, the original Tomb Raider launched on the Saturn here, so although it may have made it's name on the Playstation it was originally a Sega game.

wandatowell

Never played beyond half an hour of any Tomb Raider since the PS1 days.

Never bought into the character so had no interest.

ZiabR

wandatowell wrote: »

Never played beyond half an hour of any Tomb Raider since the PS1 days.

Never bought into the character so had no interest.

You missed a quality game then last year, it was immense.

tok9

I would just like to say it's a terrible name.

Why in god's name did they call the first one Tomb Raider and then the second one Rise of the Tomb Raider... what the hell was she doing in the first game

Penn

tok9 wrote: »

I would just like to say it's a terrible name.

Why in god's name did they call the first one Tomb Raider and then the second one Rise of the Tomb Raider... what the hell was she doing in the first game

She had to become a Tomb Raider, in order to Rise as a Tomb Raider.

Gamer Bhoy 89

super_furry wrote: »

In fairness, the original Tomb Raider launched on the Saturn here, so although it may have made it's name on the Playstation it was originally a Sega game.

Yeah but it was still multi-platform, regardless.