Gaming News - April 2006

San Francisco, CA (April 11, 2006) - Eidos today announced the launch of Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend.

From Eidos:

After a two year hiatus, the world’s most famous female explorer makes her comeback in an all-new 3D adventure that sees Lara travelling the world and getting back to her tomb raiding roots. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend debuted in Europe Friday, and is available today in North America for Xbox 360 and Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC.

Jungles, mountain ruins and ancient tombs built to challenge even the most accomplished armchair adventurer, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend is a 3D quest set in lifelike environments ranging from the lush landscapes of Bolivia to steamy African rainforests; exotic Peruvian jungles to the snow-capped Himalayan mountain ruins, and other ancient tombs filled with deadly traps. As the adventure unfolds, the player will learn more about Lara’s mysterious past and see her come to terms with death, betrayal and her own insecurities.

Lara and the player will embark on the adventure together utilizing her legendary physical prowess and agility, made more realistic with a new fluid movement system and real world physics. In addition to her trademark dual pistols, Lara is now equipped with an arsenal of such state-of-the-art gadgetry as a magnetic grappling hook, frag grenades, binoculars, personal lighting device, communications equipment, and GPS tracking to help her solve physics based puzzles and improvise solutions to challenging obstacles.

Lara, the Legend Lara is arguably the first, and certainly the most recognizable game crossover star. In the ten years since the world first met adventuress Lara Croft, she has become a pop culture icon extending well beyond her Tomb Raider video game franchise. In addition to being the face that sold more than 28 million game units sold to date, Lara Croft is a billion-dollar brand and the inspiration behind music videos, comic books, amusement park attractions and endorsements for products, ranging from hot pants to energy drinks.

She’s been lauded in Entertainment Weekly’s “It” issue of 100 most creative entertainment elite, Time Magazine’s most influential figures of the 20th century and as the only virtual celebrity figure featured in Details’ Sexiest Women of the Year. With two movie spin-offs, 200+ magazine covers and the title of U.K. Ambassador for Science and Technology, the digital diva was honored with a star at the Walk of Game in San Francisco, California.

“Lara has proven that she’s a pop icon with staying power,” said Matt Gorman, Senior Brand Manager at Eidos. “Her personality transcends the medium she debuted in – gaming – because she represents the feisty independent spirit that we embrace in American culture.”