Tomb Raider: Catalyst Will Feature More Than 20 Side Tombs to Explore

Next year, Crystal Dynamics will release Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis—both a remake of the 1996 game and a reimagining of the entire franchise, which will be connected to the Survivor Trilogy. But in addition, the studio is actively developing Tomb Raider: Catalyst—a brand-new installment in the franchise.

Details about the next main installment are largely unknown, except that it will be a sequel to 2008's Tomb Raider: Underworld and will feature a fully-fledged open world. Lara Croft’s activities are, in one way or another, tied to exploring tombs, and as revealed by level designer Richard Pau’s portfolio, Tomb Raider: Catalyst will feature more than 20 side tombs that players can explore in search of treasure and other items. That said, it’s noted that only five people worked on this component.

TOMB RAIDER: CATALYST MAY HAVE MORE THAN 20 SIDE TOMBS!

Level designer Richard Pau revealed in his portfolio that a team of five people developed more than 20 tombs before the first functional version, over the course of two years.

With over 12 years of experience in AAA games, Richard also worked on Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Among his projects is the Aqueduct Tomb, which uses water mechanics, currents, and a raft to solve its puzzles.

The number of tombs in the final version has not yet been officially confirmed by Crystal Dynamics.

Unlike Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, the release date for Catalyst remains unknown, but Embracer's previous financial report hinted that the game could be released by March 2028.

Despite some confusion regarding the timeline, Crystal Dynamics has also recently confirmed that in Legacy of Atlantis, Lara Croft is already in her prime following the events of the Survivor Trilogy —the games that served as the iconic heroine’s origin story. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will release on February 16, 2027, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.