Tomb Raider: Catalyst developer Crystal Dynamics says it “stays totally dedicated to the longer term improvement” of the Lara Croft franchise regardless of struggling its fourth redundancy spherical within the final 12 months.
“Immediately, Crystal Dynamics is lowering its workforce by 20 proficient group members, break up between some improvement personnel and a few central operations roles,” the corporate introduced on LinkedIn. “This can be a tough day for our studio, and we by no means make these selections frivolously, significantly after the restructuring we underwent final 12 months.”
On the time of its acquisition by Embracer in 2022, Crystal Dynamics had 273 workers throughout its Austin, Bellevue, and San Mateo workplaces. Since then, studio workers have endured three separate layoff rounds in March, August, and November 2025, all of which got here on high of 10 job cuts in 2023. Now, the studio is shrinking its group by one other 20 individuals. It is unclear what number of workers stay.
“As our present initiatives transfer into new phases of improvement, we constantly take a tough take a look at our group buildings to make sure they align with our long-term studio targets,” the studio added. “Whereas we at all times try to transition our individuals into new roles at any time when doable, now we have sadly reached a degree the place these departures are mandatory.
We’re unimaginable grateful for the eagerness and arduous work these people have poured into our video games and our studio. We’re offering them with severance and job placement help to assist them land their subsequent alternative. In case you have openings or know of positions for proficient builders, please contact us, and we’ll join them.”
Concluding its assertion, Crystal Dynamics burdened that whereas it understood “information like this may trigger concern amongst our neighborhood,” it “stays totally dedicated to the longer term improvement of our already introduced Tomb Raider titles. Immediately, nevertheless, our precedence is supporting our colleagues who’re transferring on.”
Crystal Dynamics beforehand laid off an unknown variety of employees in August of final 12 months following the cancellation of Good Darkish by Xbox, which Crystal Dynamics had been supporting. It presently has two introduced Tomb Raider video games in improvement: Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the unique 1996 Tomb Raider, set for launch later this 12 months, and model new Tomb Raider recreation, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, due out sooner or later subsequent 12 months. Alix Wilton Regan will now play Lara Croft in each video games, changing Camilla Luddington, who portrayed Lara Croft within the Survivor Trilogy.
Each Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst are revealed by Amazon Recreation Studios, which itself has suffered a torrid time of late, with a lot of cancelations, closures, and layoffs. The Prime Video Tomb Raider collection, starring Recreation of Thrones actor Sophie Turner, is presently filming in surrey, England.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and advisor with 15+ years expertise working with a few of the world’s greatest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.