Xbox One holiday bundle includes Tomb Raider prequel series

By Danny Cowan September 28, 2015

xbox one holiday bundle includes tomb raider xboxtomb header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft unveiled the first of five Xbox One hardware bundles that are scheduled to hit retail this winter, putting its timed exclusive Rise of the Tomb Raider at the forefront of its marketing plans for the upcoming holiday season.

The Xbox One Rise of the Tomb Raider Bundle, priced at $400, includes a digital copy of Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming third-person cinematic action game Rise of the Tomb Raider, along with a digital version of series reboot Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.

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The bundle also includes the “Tactical Survival Kit” DLC for Rise of the Tomb Raider, which adds an exclusive outfit and weapon skin for series star Lara Croft. The package otherwise offers standard equipment featured in previously issued hardware bundles, including a wireless Xbox One controller and a 1TB hard drive.

Rise of the Tomb Raider follows up on the events seen in the 2013 series reboot Tomb Raider, which focused on the early adventures of a younger, inexperienced Lara. Gameplay will feature a mixture of gunplay and survival elements, as players must scrape together improvised weaponry and other craftable items as they battle the elements in a harsh wilderness setting.

Announced as an Xbox exclusive, Rise of the Tomb Raider will premiere first for Microsoft’s console platforms. The Xbox One edition will premiere in November, and an Xbox 360 port developed by Nixxes Software will also launch this holiday season.

Earlier this year, publisher Square Enix announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider is also in development for the PlayStation 4 and PC platforms. The ports will launch after Microsoft’s one-year exclusivity deal expires in late 2016.

The Xbox One Rise of the Tomb Raider Bundle will be available exclusively at Microsoft Store and Best Buy locations on November 10. Microsoft notes that additional themed Xbox One hardware bundles scheduled for release this holiday season will be announced later this week.

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Halloween is the prime time for horror, gaming included, but that's no reason to restrict yourself from playing them any other time of year. The Xbox One has arguably the largest library of quality horror titles for you to dive into with a strong lineup, and also thanks to drawing from the previous generation and backwards compatibility. There are a lot of different types of horror games out there, and each tries to scare you in different ways. If you're looking for the best horror experiences you can get on the Xbox One, this list has the ones guaranteed to give you nightmares.

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A new Tomb Raider game is in development on Unreal Engine 5

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Crystal Dynamics confirmed that it is working on a new Tomb Raider game that will use Unreal Engine 5, a game engine now available to all developers.
At the end of Epic Games' The State of Unreal 2022 presentation, which marked the wide release of Unreal Engine 5 to all developers, Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider franchise general manager Dallas Dickinson confirmed the new project. No gameplay or in-engine development footage was shown, but Dickinson voiced his enthusiasm for using Unreal Engine 5 to create the project.
"This new engine translates into next-level storytelling in gameplay experiences, and that's why we are thrilled to announce today that we have just started development of our next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5," he said. "Our goal is to push the envelope of fidelity and to deliver the high-quality cinematic action-adventure experience that fans deserve from both Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider franchise."
https://twitter.com/tombraider/status/1511368712279904258
There are no new story or gameplay details. However, Crystal Dynamics has previously voiced its intention to connect the most recent trilogy and the classic titles with new Tomb Raider media. Outside of Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics is currently working on post-launch support for Marvel's Avengers and is assisting The Initiative in developing the next Perfect Dark game, which also uses Unreal Engine 5. Eidos Montreal, not Crystal Dynamics, actually developed Shadow of the Tomb Raider, so this marks the studio's return to the series.
The new Tomb Raider is one of several brand-new games that will use Unreal Engine 5, as many studios like Crystal Dynamics and The Witcher's CD Projekt Red have committed to using the game engine for their next titles. The new engine features notable improvements over Unreal Engine 4, namely its Lumen global illumination system and Nanite technology, allowing for increased geometric detail and fidelity.
It sounds like this new Tomb Raider is early in development, so it will likely be a while before we hear more about it. Hopefully, it's an awesome showcase of Unreal Engine 5's power when it launches, presumably only on current-gen platforms.

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