In the fourth round of layoffs in the last year, Crystal Dynamics has reported another round of downsizing within its ranks. Twenty employees across development and operational teams are being let go from the Tomb Raider studio.
The news follows at least three different instances of layoffs over the course of last year, which could be worrying news for Tomb Raider fans, since there are two major projects in the franchise currently in development at the studio. However, it remains optimistic about its chances and is seemingly going full steam ahead towards its release schedule.
“We know that news like this can cause concern amongst our community. Crystal Dynamics remains fully committed to the future development of our already announced Tomb Raider titles…Today, however, our priority is supporting our colleagues who are moving on,” it said on LinkedIn.
The two games in question are Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the 1996 classic, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst, a brand-new adventure slated to be quite welcoming to franchise newbies while having enough to keep its veterans engaged. They’re highly anticipated, and rightly so, especially since the last entry, Shadows of the Tomb Raider, was in 2018.
It’s been quite a troubled time for the studio recently, but here’s to hoping that it can shake off those troubles and give us a new Tomb Raider experience that brings back the glory days of the franchise. Catalyst is out next year, but Legacy of Atlantis will launch in 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.