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Tomb Raider dev trimmed, makeover planned?

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Jan 12, 2009 3:32 pm PT

Crystal Dynamics reportedly lays off 30 as Eidos considers a new image after Underworld fails to meet goals.

Tomb Raider: Underworld's lackluster performance has left Eidos smarting. Earlier this week, the British publisher revealed that sales of the game, while respectable at 1.5 million units worldwide, failed to live up to the company's internal expectations. As a result of the lackluster sales, Eidos said it would be trimming its full-year revenue forecast by £20 million ($30.39 million).

Lara's image is about to be turned upside down...again.

The game's performance has apparently negatively impacted developer Crystal Dynamics. Over the weekend, Joystiq received word that the Redwood City, California-based developer served approximately 30 staffers their walking papers on Friday.

Confirming the layoffs, an Eidos representative told the gaming blog, "We have increased the focus on the Tomb Raider franchise at Crystal Dynamics, regrettably this has resulted in the reduction in headcount." Eidos had not responded to GameSpot's own requests for comment as of press time.

The tepid reception also has Eidos considering a paradigm shift for the Tomb Raider franchise. The Financial Times reports that Eidos is contemplating a second reboot for the series, one in which its iconically buxom brunette is transformed into a more female-friendly icon.

"We need to look at everything, as we develop the next game," Eidos chief financial officer Robert Brent told the news magazine. "Look at how Batman changed succesfully, from the rather sad character of the Michael Keaton era to the noir style of The Dark Knight."

Eidos' first reboot of the series came with 2006's Tomb Raider: Legend, which saw the puzzle-oriented adventure game take on a decidedly more action-centric bent. The move translated into a significant increase in sales for the series, with the Crystal Dynamics-developed game going on to sell in excess of 3 million units worldwide.

Along with telegraphing Eidos' next move with the Tomb Raider franchise, Brent also provided more color on why Underworld failed to live up to expectations. "Europe was fine, but America was not as anticipated," Brent said. "You would normally expect Tomb Raider sales to be split half and half between Europe and North America, but this time America was considerably below that."

For more on Tomb Raider: Underworld, check out GameSpot's full review.

130 Comments

  • gamespot2DBOne

    Posted Jan 28, 2009 8:03 pm PT

    ps2 version of This game is very diff.here's what i noticed.no sharks,no insects,when swimming u cant swim up to the surface/boat.they changed sections of this game example: frist level.there is no MAP.framerate issues.the game gets laggy.they toned down the graphics so the game could work on ps2 with lag? haha,hmm,

  • Slagar

    Posted Jan 23, 2009 11:44 pm PT

    The sales of Tomb Raider Underworld have little to do with the style of game, and LOTS to do with the quality of game released!
    There is a lot wrong with Underworld, and it's no fault of the "formula" they're using. If they want better sales, try releasing a game without glitchy character animations and a ridiculously bad camera. These two aspects went waayyy backwards from Anniversary and Legend, and it really detracted from the overall experience (because, at heart, that's what TR games need to excel at).

    There was no weapon/item progression, no costumes to unlock, really no reason to play it through a second time.

    Also, gameplay and story-wise, I felt they went a little too far in the direction of Soul Reaver - fighting undead and stomping on them to finish them off? It got pretty cheesy and tiresome.

    Seriously though, if they had kept it in development and polished it a bit, this game would've sold well. I hope the next game in the series isn't rushed out the door; I'll be thinking carefully before I buy it.

  • zacattack214

    Posted Jan 23, 2009 3:48 pm PT

    You know, even though Angel of Darkness had immense performance and gameplay issues, it still had the best formula in my mind. If they want to keep selling Lara Croft games then they need to take her out of the tombs and into more contemporary environments. When every Tomb Raider game takes place in the same old location, people are bound to get bored--you have to give them some diversity. Legends worked because it had the city levels intermixed with the classic styled ones. There has to be some modern appeal in there.

  • Seth_GRAVIJAH

    Posted Jan 21, 2009 8:44 am PT

    Wait, they won't complete the trilogy ?
    TRU isn't perfect (how many swears I thrown to my TV... lol) but I'm spending really good time on it.
    I don't care the fighting tiger thing, but the puzzles and level design in general were really interesting and motivating.
    Well, let see what will comme with this... as usual, we know what we loose, not what we gain...

  • DA_JUGGERNAUT

    Posted Jan 19, 2009 7:05 pm PT

    I am a fan of the TR franchise. I even liked TRU. But the fact is that I am not going to pay 60 or 50 for something that is short and glitch ridden. Eidos knows this so they really brought this upon themselves because they cannot give these franchise players (Hitman, Kain, and Raider) what they really need in a solid all around game. I feel they need to give them to someone who can. But what do I know, I'm just a fan.

  • QVT

    Posted Jan 19, 2009 6:54 pm PT

    The fact there are still supporters for Legacy of Kain on here makes me smile.

  • fiskefyren

    Posted Jan 18, 2009 4:18 pm PT

    shes an old gal now... please just let her die and rest in piece and try to come up with something new instead of redoing the same **** for the next 33 years?

  • fiskefyren

    Posted Jan 18, 2009 4:11 pm PT

    oh oh! i know! how about not making a pile of steaming ****?! that will make your games hit "goals"
    true story!!!

  • IIISpartan007

    Posted Jan 18, 2009 10:36 am PT

    ok barez has a EXTREMELY good point. They need to finish the legacy of kain series PLEASEEEEEEEE that series was fantastic and i have been praying they would start it up again. Let Lara be she aint hot anymore i never liked her in the first place. id rather fight vampires and soldeirs than flippin tigers and bears oh my.

  • ok_barez

    Posted Jan 18, 2009 9:03 am PT

    Best to say some thing to EIDOS guys, plz plz plz, let lara go for a couple of years and re open the Legacy Of Cain Series, That Fantastic Twisted Flowfull BEAutiful Epic Action Advanture game that we all have memories of.

  • Kiriyama12

    Posted Jan 18, 2009 1:05 am PT

    I don't know, it actually came out good, or at least better than i expected, still probably a little short.

  • SirCroft

    Posted Jan 17, 2009 4:06 pm PT

    Eidos is ruining the series with their rushed games and low budget.

  • rohr2

    Posted Jan 17, 2009 6:53 am PT

    Hello Deus Ex anyone? It was freaking amazing. The story was the best part. but seriously get some great games out like hitman or thief or legacy of kain

  • haishido

    Posted Jan 17, 2009 2:59 am PT

    @Cube-Gage
    You may be onto something there. It sounds realistic to have Drake and Lara in the same game. Ideas like this could give a rescue hand to the Tomb Raider franchise. **Cough** Eidos, CD, You reading this?

  • haishido

    Posted Jan 17, 2009 2:52 am PT

    First the hedgehog and now Lara. I know game developers mean well when they put these "Next Gen" games out, let's face it: It may be time to give it a rest. Like Tyson said after losing his match, "I'm not going to embarrass this sport anymore" before announcing retirement. In this economic time frame, each underachieved game only puts your company's foot in the grave. Can't afford to lose multi-millions on something that doesn't produce results anymore. If the team wants to take another shot, they should make the next installment as if it were their last.

  • shyshyshy

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 1:40 pm PT

    Let's just hope, the ps2 version would water-down what others are complaining so much on the current gen. At least on the PS2, people would readily forgive TR:U of its short-comings as compared to current gen. Legends and Anniversary were amazing games, people just don't have the patience anymore to play these kinds, not when there are games that boasts uber frames per minute and tv busting graphics like Gears of War, Assassin's Creed, current FPS's. The current gen just couldn't balance out TR compared to today's games. IMO players are so aclimatized to the idea that games should evolve fairly quickly. In the olden days, during the less than 100 bit era, it would take so long before gamers would welcome a new formula, like Mario for example. I mean how long did you think Mario spent knocking boxes with his head and fart-as*ing his enemies? It took years and even until now, it still does work. But the gaming niche has clearly declined as compared to contemporary gaming genre. And old formulas don't always win hearts. Tomb Raider is clearly a too-familiar formula that desperately pleads the gamers to stick with it because it still does do the trick. But like most formulas, ideas and what not...they get old quickly nowadays especially when the general public begins to think that todays consoles can do almost anything. I wonder what they really want Lara to do when in fact she can do almost anything. (Not everything the developers wouldn't want--please let's set aside wet fantasies for a while he he he) They want new things and they want it now.

    Of course, TR: U has its share of problems but what games doesn't...no matter how miniscule it is. I don't think this has anything to do with how poor the sales are. I must admit, the graphics are at par with other game outings but it just couldn't beat what todays gamers' view as being "innovative" already (whatever that is). Innovation is indeed abyssmal.

  • pikadeth

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 6:34 pm PT

    Part of the problem was that they released an okay game at a time when the market is flooded with great games.

  • Temtamperu

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:46 pm PT

    Maybe the reason people arent buying tomb raider is because it got old, they release one nearly every year and its the same drool over and over. Put lara on a shelf and get some new ideas maybe?

  • slainta

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 4:37 am PT

    Agreed to push back Legacy of Kain, About TR CD has to fix the camera anc control movements once for all. Also the framerate is bad. Why Uncharted at its debut has been so smooth and TR after 12 years has to suffer from camera/glitches/control problems? Also I think Eidos should focus on the next-gen systems. Making it totally multiplatform as we seen doesn't always pay. Chose quality over quantity net time.

  • Jigen78

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 3:29 am PT

    Eidos and CD, it's time to give Lara a rest and bring back the Legacy of Kain series. I'd take another LoK game over any other Eidos IP right now (yes, Thief, Deus Ex, Tomb Raider and Hitman included).

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