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How to Play the Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

Tomb Raider has a chartered history, with Lara Croft delving into ruins and tombs all over the world. Overcoming any and all obstacles set in her path, Lara has elevated herself into an exclusive and lauded pantheon of iconic video game protagonists.

Now that we know that not one but two Tomb Raider games are on the way, we’ve created a chronological list of every game released so far. There’s never a bad time to start (or restart) your spelunking adventures from the very beginning.

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How Many Tomb Raider Games Are There?

There are a total of 20 Tomb Raider games that have been released as of 2025. These games are split over 3 different timelines, each distinct from one another, offering different plotlines and a slightly different spin on Lara and her supporting cast.

14 of these games have been released for home consoles, 6 also supported handheld portable consoles, and 6 were supported on mobile devices. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft Go, Lara Croft: Relic Run, and Tomb Raider Reloaded are all stand-alone titles, and therefore will not be included on these lists.

Which Tomb Raider Should You Play First?

If you’re coming to the franchise for the first time in 2025, we recommend starting with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. The first entry in the “Survivor” trilogy sets the stage for Lara Croft’s most recent series of expeditions that runs through the latest mainline game, 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

If you’re hoping to take a chronological journey through all of the Tomb Raider games, it’s important to note that there are actually 3 different timelines you can play through.

First Timeline – Original Saga

1. Tomb Raider (1996)

The first ever Tomb Raider title centred around Lara being hired by businesswoman Jacquelin Natla to find a mysterious artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. After finding all three fragments of the Scion scattered around the globe, Lara is betrayed by Natla and must face off against her on a volcanic island filled with monsters.

2. Tomb Raider: The Curse of the Sword (2001)

A Game Boy Color exclusive sequel to the Game Boy Color version of the original Tomb Raider, this adventure sees Lara tracking down a mystical sword and attempting to destroy it before the long-dead Madame Paveau can resurrect from the underworld and use her dark magic to subjugate the world.

3. Tomb Raider II (1997)

This time Lara is on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon once used by the Emperors of China. A cult leader by the name of Marco Bartoli who is also seeking the dagger for it’s magical ability to turn the owner into a dragon.

4. Tomb Raider III (1998)

In the third mainline installment of the original saga, Lara sets out to find the Infada Stone, one of four crystalline artefacts crafted thousands of years ago from the remnants of a meteorite. Realising the nefarious Dr. Willard is aiming to use the statues to speed up the evolutionary process; she sets out to find the remaining three artefacts before the entire planet is mutated.

5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)

In The Last Revelation, the Egyptian god of chaos Set is unknowingly released by Lara as she explores a tomb in Egypt. With Set and his forces wreaking havoc on Cairo, Lara is assisted by Semerkhet and strives to summon the god Horus who is the last hope of quelling this world-ending threat.

6. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)

After the ambiguous ending of The Last Revelation, Winston the butler and other friends of Lara recount tales of her historic adventures to commemorate her. Delving through the catacombs of Rome, fighting through a Russian naval submarine, and exploring an island haunted by demonic forces, the titular Chronicles set in stone how well travelled and skilled Lara is, but is she really gone?

7. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)

Framed for the murder of her former mentor, Werner Von Croy, Lara explores Paris and Prague in an attempt to clear her name and solve the murder. The last survivor of the Lux Veritatis Society, Kurtis Trent, is stalking Lara and is hiding a deep dark secret about his true nature.

Second Timeline – Legend of Tomb Raider

1. Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007)

A remake of the original Tomb Raider title from 1996, this game again sees Lara questing to find the Scion of Atlantis. With redesigned puzzles and physics, there was a shift from item collection and pulling switches (both prevalent in the original title), to physics-based puzzles and environmental set pieces.

2. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)

This title acts as a reboot and reimagining of the origins of Lara, as she races across the world in search of the mythical sword Excalibur, desperate to find it before her former friend Amanda Evert can beat her to the punch.

3. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)

The third installment in the Legend trilogy, Underworld sees Lara searching for Mjolnir, which acts as an ancient key to Helheim, the realm of the dead. Exploring the ruins of various cultures and mythological underworlds, Lara once again confronts the villainous Natla who is searching for Mjolnir herself.

Third Timeline – Survivor Trilogy

1. Tomb Raider (2013)

In a new, grittier take on Lara Croft, her first expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai goes awry and she becomes stranded on an isolated and hostile island. Facing off against the Solarii Brotherhood cult, Lara must stop the Ascension ritual from proceeding and also prevent a successor from being chosen for the bloodthirsty Sun Queen of legend.

2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)

Rise of the Tomb Raider has Lara exploring Siberia for the legendary city of Kitezh whilst battling Trinity, the paramilitary organization that continually crosses paths and butts heads with Lara. As they both sprint to rediscover Kitezh, will the legendary immortal guardians of the kingdom, the Deathless Ones, reveal themselves to be much more than just a myth?

3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)

The third and final installment in the Survivor Trilogy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has Lara trekking through the Americas to find the city of Paititi before a Mayan apocalypse consumes the entire planet. With the monstrous Yaaxii and the ever present Trinity on her back, will she succeed before it’s too late?

How to Play ALL the Tomb Raider Games By Release Date

  • Tomb Raider (1996)
  • Tomb Raider II (1997)
  • Tomb Raider III (1998)
  • Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
  • Tomb Raider (Game Boy Color, 2000)
  • Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
  • Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (Game Boy Color, 2001)
  • Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (GBA, 2002)
  • Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
  • Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
  • Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
  • Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
  • Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
  • Tomb Raider (2013)
  • Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
  • Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
  • Lara Croft Go (2015)
  • Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
  • Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023)

What’s Next for Tomb Raider?

Crystal Dynamics confirmed a brand new Tomb Raider game was in development way back in 2022. We now know this game is Tomb Raider: Catalyst, a new journey built in Unreal Engine 5 and set to be published by Amazon Games in 2027.

That’s not all, though. The Game Awards also included the announcement of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantic, a ‘reimagining’ of the original Tomb Raider game releasing in 2026. Yes, the acrobatics are back.

Outside of gaming, Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is finishing up its second and final season. You won’t have to wait long to see more Lara on your screen – Amazon’s live action Tomb Raider series will start shooting next year. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is on board as writer and executive producter, while Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner is slated for the titular role. I think it’s safe to say it’s the season of Tomb Raider.

Samuel (Sam) Heaney is a freelance guides writer at IGN and Minecraft expert. He’s a typical Brit who loves cups of tea and gin and tonics. Oh, and he’s also a huge Marvel nerd. You can find him on Twitter @SamHeaney.

Doom, Quake Developers Form Wall-to-wall Union at id Software

165 workers at id Software, the studio behind the Doom and Quake franchises, have elected to unionize with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in yet another wall-to-wall developer union within Microsoft.

The new union encompasses developers, artists, programmers, and other disciplines, and has been formally recognized by Microsoft in accordance with its pledge to remain “neutral” with regard to unions within its ranks and voluntarily recognize any that emerge. Union members suggest issues of concern for the group include the instability of the games industry writ large, as well as the necessity of remote work.

“I’m very proud to be a part of this effort to organize our studio, to have a voice in decisions that directly affect myself and my coworkers,” said senior VFX artist and organizing committee member Caroline Pierrot. “In an industry that has proven to be very unstable over the last few years, more unions means more power to the workers and a real shot at shaping the future of the industry for the better.”

Microsoft has seen a cascade of new unions formed at its game studios in recent years, a large number of which have been under its most recent acquisition, Activision Blizzard. Diablo developers unionized this past August, as did Blizzard’s story and franchise development team, the entire World of Warcraft team unionized last year, and the Overwatch developers followed in May of this year. Meanwhile, Raven Software workers won their first contract earlier this year, Zenimax QA workers won a contract in May, and Bethesda’s union is still in active negotiations.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

‘Shipping a Major Franchise Like Clockwork Every Year Is a Really Difficult Task’ — Microsoft Responds to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s Disappointing Launch

Clearly, all is not well in the world of Call of Duty. Black Ops 7 appears to have struggled for players and sales relatively speaking amid tough competition from the likes of EA’s Battlefield 6 and Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders, and coming out just a year after Black Ops 6. Microsoft is yet to announce a player count or a sales figure for Black Ops 7, nor has it detailed any boost to Game Pass subscriber numbers as a result of its launch. Clearly, it hasn’t met its expectations.

Last month, sales data suggested Black Ops 7 was struggling not just against rival shooter Battlefield 6, but also last year’s Black Ops 6. The Game Business reported that Black Ops 7’s European launch saw opening week sales down 63% versus Battlefield 6 during the equivalent launch periods for each shooter, and Black Ops 7 also down by more than 50% versus Black Ops 6. All in all, Black Ops 7 had a “terrible” launch, The Game Business’ chief Chris Dring said in a post on social media.

Then, in a shock development, Activision promised never to release Black Ops or Modern Warfare games back to back again. In a statement attributed to “the Call of Duty team” (Treyarch, Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, Raven Software and co.), Activision admitted “that for some of you, the franchise has not met your expectations fully. To be very clear, we know what you expect and rest assured we will deliver, and overdeliver, on those expectations as we move forward.”

Activision continued: “We will no longer do back-to-back releases of Modern Warfare or Black Ops games. The reasons are many, but the main one is to ensure we provide an absolutely unique experience each and every year. We will drive innovation that is meaningful, not incremental. While we aren’t sharing those plans today, we look forward to doing so when the time is right.”

Fast forward to this week, and Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty has painted a slightly rosier picture. When asked about Black Ops 7’s performance by Variety, Booty responded to confirm that it’s one of the most-played games on Xbox right now, and that he was proud of what the development team was able to achieve. He then said Call of Duty is “its own unique category” because of Activision’s ability to release content via a seasonal model, so the launch isn’t the end of Black Ops 7’s story.

Here’s the quote in full:

“Right now, it is one of the most-played games on Xbox. And I’m really proud of what the team did, in terms of feature innovation, moving the franchise forward. Shipping a major franchise like clockwork every year is a really difficult task, and I’m really proud of what the team did to move the franchise forward in that way.

“And the interesting thing about Call of Duty is, I think that as an IP, it is really well positioned to continue to deliver content for players going forward; the system of seasons. And it’s not just about the launch, but it’s kind of in its own unique category and ability in terms of how the team keeps delivering content throughout the year. So we’re real happy with where we’ve landed with that.”

Amid the doom and gloom, Microsoft has said Call of Duty (overall) ended 2025 as the number one franchise on Game Pass for total players and hours all year, which perhaps doesn’t come as much of a surprise given this is Call of Duty we’re talking about. But it does show that even when Call of Duty has a bad year relative to previous games in the series, it’s still massively popular relative to other games.

Call of Duty is now at something of a crossroads. 2026’s Call of Duty game is almost certainly a continuation of Modern Warfare from Infinity Ward, but what will 2027 bring? Black Ops 8? Activision’s failure to establish a third Call of Duty sub-brand means that it has become overly reliant on Modern Warfare and Black Ops to keep the franchise going at the player numbers executives demand. Could Microsoft take the drastic step of giving Call of Duty a year off to recover from its recent struggles? Given Microsoft paid $69 billion for Activision Blizzard, it seems unlikely.

As for Black Ops 7 in the here and now, Activision has promised “unprecedented season support,” saying it “won’t rest until Black Ops 7 earns its place as one of the best Black Ops games we’ve ever made.”

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Storms The Game Awards, Wins Coveted Game of the Year 2025

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stormed The Game Awards 2025, winning all but two categories it was nominated in, including the main prize: Game of the Year.

Sandfall Interactive’s much-loved RPG won Game of the Year ahead of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Accepting the Game of the Year award to rapturous applause, director Guillaume Broche thanked the “incredible team” at Sandfall Interactive, most of whom were in attendance and in costume. Broche extended his thanks to the “unsung heroes” of the video game industry, “the people who make tutorials on YouTube on how to make a game, because we had no idea how to make a game before.”

Broche went on to issue a personal thank you to Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, “who inspired me to become a game dev.” Broche ended his speech by announcing the shadow drop release of Clair Obscur DLC.

Clair Obscur also won Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score And Music, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, and Best RPG. Jennifer English won Best Peformance for her role in the game.

The only categories Clair Obscur was nominated in but failed to win were Best Audio Design, which went to EA’s shooter, Battlefield 6, and Players’ Voice, which went to Wuthering Waves. Still, it’s a remarkable result for the relatively small team at Sandfall Interactive, especially given Clair Obscur is its debut title.

Clair Obscur launched in April right up against Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, with both games hitting Game Pass as day one releases. It was felt that Clair Obscur might struggle under those circumstances, but it enjoyed instant and significant popularity, and would go on to sell 5 million copies by October.

IGN’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story.”

Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full.

Photo by Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Mega Man: Dual Override Revealed by Capcom With First Gameplay Trailer and 2027 Launch Plans | The Game Awards 2025

As revealed at The Game Awards 2025, Capcom is bringing the Blue Bomber back with a new video game called Mega Man: Dual Override.

The first trailer for what will be the first new Mega Man game since 2018’s Mega Man 11 reveals a return to that classic 2D style that made the iconic hero famous. It’s unclear what other elements will return for Mega Man: Dual Override, with the footage mostly promising vibrant visuals and a promise to warp onto PC, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox consoles in 2027.

Little else is known about Mega Man Dual Override at the moment. While we wait for update, be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025. You can also read the full list of all of the night’s winners.
Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Marvel Rivals Season 6 Trailer Confirms Deadpool as Next Playable Character | The Game Awards 2025

Marvel Rivals is halfway through Season 5, but that isn’t stopping NetEase Games from revealing Deadpool as the first playable hero for Season 6 at The Game Awards 2025.

The Marvel Rivals Deadpool reveal trailer doesn’t come with any gameplay, but it did come with the promise that the Merc with a Mouth will launch for the popular hero shooter alongside Season 6: Night at the Museum January 16, 2026. It’s the earliest NetEase has been ready to show off one of its new heroes, with its trailer highlighting Deadpool’s new voice and design, as well as some of the other elements players can expect next month.

Marvel Rivals Season 5.5 is currently underway. The latest season introduced Gambit as its first playable hero, with Rogue joining the fight on PC and consoles tomorrow, December 12.

For all of tonight’s biggest highlights, you can check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025. You can also keep up with our running list of all of the winners.

Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Capcom Finally Confirms Leon S. Kennedy Is In Resident Evil Requiem | The Game Awards 2025 – IGN

After months of speculation and a revealing leak earlier this week, Capcom has finally, officially confirmed what we all knew: Leon S. Kennedy is in Resident Evil Requiem, and he’s here to kick butt.

Tonight, at The Game Awards 2025, a fresh trailer for Resident Evil Requiem saw Leon fully revealed, swinging into action as the now-grizzled veteran zombie fighter we all know and love.

We learned what many of us had expected, that Leon will feature as one of two playable characters, alongside the previously announced Grace Ashcroft. While Grace’s campaign focuses on survival horror, Leon’s separate antics will focus on action.

Earlier this week, the reveal of new Resident Evil: Requiem cover art featuring Leon finally put to bed one of this year’s biggest gaming mysteries — something developer Capcom has itself refused to address — just days ahead of Requiem’s appearance tonight.

Rumors have persisted for months over Leon’s involvement in Resident Evil: Requiem, with Capcom specifically declining to answer IGN’s questions over the character back at Gamescom in August. The game’s developers have even suggested that Leon would be a poor fit as a protagonist for the game’s quieter sections as he is now too grizzled to be scared. But through all of this, Capcom left itself with just enough wiggle room for Leon to still be lurking somewhere — presumably during Requiem’s more action-packed sequences.

Despite Leon’s involvement now being confirmed, Requiem may still have secrets left in store. There was no mention tonight of a potential third playable character — something raised earlier this week by a GameStop listing that referenced Rosemary Winters.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Pragmata Gets Release Date, Demo, and Will Come to Nintendo Switch 2 | The Game Awards 2025

Capcom’s upcoming space adventure Pragmata was back at The Game Awards today with some pretty significant news after years of delays. It has a release date at last: April 24, 2026.

In addition, we learned today that a gameplay demo is now available today on Steam. And in addition to previously-announced platforms PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, it’s also coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in a pretty significant get for the new console.

Pragmata follows an astronaut named Hugh stranded in space, aided by a friendly artificial intelligence named DI0367, who he refers to as Diana. She takes the form of a little girl who rides on Hugh’s back as he fights his way through hostile space alien-robot things, and hacks them so that they’re vulnerable to his abilities. Together, the two take on a lunar station AI that’s trying to keep Hugh from returning to earth. Based on today’s trailer, it looks like the pair might visit a city somewhat like New York City, though it seems to be located on the moon.

Pragmata has been around the moon a few times in the last few years. It was first announced back in 2020, with a pretty cryptic trailer showcasing the two main characters, with a 2022 release date attached. Later, it was delayed until 2023, and then put on hold with an apologetic trailer. It resurfaced at Sony’s State of Play earlier this year looking far more ready for primetime. And we got to preview it at Gamescom this year, too. Not long after, I chatted with the game’s developers about how their game about artificial intelligence relates, or doesn’t, to current real-life discussions of the technology.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Deadzone: Rogue – Zone 4 Apophis Release Date Exclusive

Roguelite FPS Deadzone: Rogue just got a release date for its newest free DLC, Zone 4 – Apophis. It will add new missions and story to the game, along with new enemies and encounters, more weapons, as well as adding extra systems, elements, perks, and augments. The Zone 4: Apophis Content Update for Deadzone: Rogue is launching on December 17, and as an added bonus that date also marks the start of a free-to-play access period if you haven’t had a chance to jump in yet.

Deadzone: Rogue was officially released in August this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and is currently rocking a Very Positive ranking on Steam. You can play solo or with co-op team of up to 3 players, and puts you on board the colony ship ISS-X, which is unfortunately also home to facing murderous robots and mutants. Ain’t that always the way?

It’s the work of indie studio Prophecy Games, which was original part of the Hi-Rez Studios group but went solo in 2020. It’s other game is Tribes 3: Rivals, a team-based first person shooter.

Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.

The Game Awards 2025: Everything Announced So Far (Updating Live)

The Game Awards is back again to end this year with a celebration of the best games of 2025 and an exciting look into the future. While we may not know all the surprises in store for us this year, we do know we will be covering everything live and gathering it right here for you.

This article will be the place to catch all the biggest reveals, trailers, gameplay, shocking moments, and more, and we’ll be updating it as it happens, so be sure to keep checking back! You can also check how how you can watch the show with us and what to expect as well!

How to Watch The Game Awards 2025

You can watch The Game Awards 2025 with us at any of the links below. The show will begin with a special pre-show, which will start at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET.

What to Expect at The Game Awards 2025

You can check out our full predictions of what we know, think, and dream will be at The Game Awards this year right here, but we’re still going to talk about the biggest things you need to know going into tonight’s show.

One of the biggest teases leading up to The Game Awards was the mysterious statue that appeared in the Mojave Desert last week. While many potential games were debunked, a logo was uncovered that leads many to believe this will be from an upcoming Divinity project from Baldur’s Gate 3 developers, Larian Studios.

The Game Awards’ Geoff Keighley has also been teasing some of the games that will be part of the show, and we know among them will be Resident Evil Requiem, Tomb Raider (which has leaked), Invincible VS, Exodus, Phatom Blade Zero, and Saros.

What we think might be there is some DLC for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a wider console release for Hades 2, the full reveal of the remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Fallout Season 2, a new look at 007 First Light, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Marvel’s Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6, OD: Knock, Physint, Judas, The Duskbloods, and perhaps the final entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy.

As for what we dream will be there, we can only hope for another look at GTA 6 or The Witcher 4, DLC for Hollow Knight: Silksong, a new 3D Mario, the new Sony Santa Monica game from Cory Barlog, Bloodborne 2, a new look at the next Mass Effect, Half-Life 3, and much more!

What are you hoping to see at The Game Awards 2025? Let us know below and stay tuned for a full recap of all the biggest moments from the night right here!

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.