Tomb Raider unveils unexpected return teasing our new Lara

Lara Croft is back in a new and unexpected Tomb Raider release that could be a subtle tease for the series' future.

Without question, the Tomb Raider series and its protagonist, Lara Croft, are among the most instantly recognisable icons in video games.

The Tomb Raider series hasn't hit a banger with every release. It’s certainly been a complicated relationship with the series over the years; the unfinished Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is a prime example of that, a game so glitchy but still ever so loved.

As for what the future of the series holds, we know that there’s a new Tomb Raider game on the way but we have no clue when it might be released. Hopefully, that’s not a sign of it potentially being canned.

However, if you want a new Lara Croft and Tomb Raider fix before that new video game graces us with its presence, then you might want to check out this new board game adaptation which was funded on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in minutes.

The game in question is Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos, described as “an epic Tomb Raider adventure across an action-packed board game".

"Discover an ancient secret as Lara Croft fights to save time itself," it adds.

The board game, which comes with some snazzy miniatures to paint, will have you treasure hunting, solving puzzles, and dodging traps, as well as fighting grunts and taking on challenging bosses.

The core pledge is £45 for the base game and its stretch goals, or £115 with the added expansions.

Interestingly, the box art features a new version of Lara Croft, although it's not the first use of this iteration. We first saw this image of Lara uploaded to the official Tomb Raider website in 2024 and then again for an unrelated tabletop RPG.

It could mean absolutely nothing but it does seem like this is what the property owners of the Tomb Raider franchise, Embracer Group, wants Lara Croft to look like and could perhaps be a tease for how she'll appear in the upcoming new game. Only time will tell.

Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos intends to be released in February 2026, assuming it gets no delays.