Crystal Dynamics: Last News

Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has shared that the upcoming reboot of Perfect Dark is being done “very carefully” so that it works for modern-day audiences.During a Pax West 2022 interview, which was shared on Twitter (September 2), Booty was asked how one reboots Joanna Dark – the protagonist of Perfect Dark – in the modern age. To this, he said, “very carefully,” going on to add, “those things they don’t always age well…”Booty doesn’t clarify this statement, but by the way the question is asked and answered he could be referring to the design choices of Joanna Dark when the game originally launched in 2000.Matt Booty describes rebooting Perfect Dark for the modern day as "Very Carefully".He also describles the game as a cross between a Bourne Identity and James Bond.

Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner is reportedly in negotiations to lead Amazon Prime Video‘s upcoming Tomb Raider series.In May, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios announced that a new Tomb Raider series was in development with video game developer Crystal Dynamics. Phoebe Waller-Bridge will write and executive produce for the series.Now, per a Deadline report, Turner is in active negotiations to lead the series as the titular hero Lara Croft.

EXCLUSIVE: Sophie Turner is in negotiations to star as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Prime Video’s high-profile series adaptation of the video game franchise from Emmy-winning Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, sources tell Deadline. A rep for Amazon MGM Studios declined comment.

EXCLUSIVE: In what is shaping up to be one of the hottest TV casting searches this fall, Amazon MGM Studios has assembled a wishlist of accomplished young actors for the role of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Prime Video’s high-profile series adaptation of the video game franchise from Emmy-winning Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The animated series “Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft” has been renewed for Season 2 at Netflix. The news comes roughly two weeks after the series premiered on Oct. 10.

Netflix’s new anime series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is out now, but who is voicing the iconic character? Read on to find out.The show is based on the legendary video game series, and is set specifically in the same continuity as the game’s reboot ‘Survivor’ trilogy of Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018).The events of the show take place after the conclusion of the latter game, and bring the timeline up to date with the game’s original series.Tasha Huo is overseeing the anime series, all eight episodes of which were released onto Netflix on Thursday (October 10).A synopsis for the show states: “Following the events of the Survivor Trilogy, Lara Croft has abandoned her friends to embark on increasingly more perilous solo adventures.“But she must return home when a dangerous and powerful Chinese artifact is stolen from Croft Manor by a thief with an uncanny personal connection. Her daring pursuit will take her on an adventure around the world and to the depths of forgotten tombs, where she will be forced to confront her true self, and decide just what kind of hero she wants to become.”It is not the only Tomb Raider television series in the works.

Amazon Games boss Christoph Hartmann has given fans a promising update about the new Tomb Raider game.At the end of 2022, it was confirmed Amazon Games would be publishing a new Tomb Raider game from Crystal Dynamics, described as a “single-player, narrative-driven adventure”.“It includes all the elements that have made Tomb Raider one of the most revered franchises in gaming, giving players control of the confident and multidimensional hero Lara Croft in an environment that rewards exploration and creative pathfinding, with mind-bending puzzles to solve, and a wide variety of enemies to face and overcome,” a statement added.However, earlier this year Crystal Dynamics’ parent company confirmed lay-offs at the studio as part of a profit-focused downsizing operation before Embracer Group split into three separate companies, leading fans to question the future of the new Tomb Raider game.In a new interview with IGN, Hartmann has reassured fans that Crystal Dynamics is “sheltered” from everything going on with Embracer.He went on to say that the changes at Embrace never impacted Crystal Dynamics’ resources and “never led to any changes on management for them, so they’re fine.”“I mean, doing a new Tomb Raider, the bar is so high,” he continued. “The longer you go, the expectation goes higher, so it’s a huge, huge task, but things are progressing.

Prime Video has ordered a new Tomb Raider with Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the writer’s seat.Yesterday (May 14), Prime and Amazon MGM Studios announced that a new Tomb Raider series in the works with video game developer Crystal Dynamics. Waller-Bridge will write and executive produce for the series.The upcoming Tomb Raider series has yet to reveal a cast, details on its plot, or a release date.The legacy continues. Amazon MGM Studios and Crystal Dynamics to expand the TOMB RAIDER universe.

Embracer Group has today announced that its acquisition of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal is complete, following the agreement in May 2022.The acquisition sees Embracer Group taking ownership of the three development studios alongside a host of intellectual properties (IPs) including Tomb Raider, Deux Ex, Legacy of Kain and “more than 50 back-catalogue games from Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.” according to an announcement on its website.Today (August 26) Embracer Group has announced that “all conditions for the transaction, including regulatory approvals, have now been fulfilled and the transaction may be completed.” The acquired studios will form the 12th operative group under the leadership of Square Enix America and Europe CEO, Phil Rogers.In a statement on the acquisition, Rogers said, “Embracer is the best kept secret in gaming: a massive, decentralised collection of entrepreneurs whom we are thrilled to become a part of today.”Embracer Group completed the acquisition for a reported £253.6million ($300million), with the valuation raising some eyebrows, but was decided on the basis that there was “limited competition for acquisition of the assets” (via, Euro News).

Square Enix could be opening a new studio in the West.The application appeared on the database last week on August 17 where it was filed, created and formalised, and it currently appears to be pending  (via VGC).It looks like the new Western studio will be called Studio Onoma and will focus on developing and “publishing of computer game software and video game software.”The application also includes additional details for the services and goods the studio will provide, such as strategy guides, posters, casual clothing, toys, games, and playthings, “namely action figures, [and] handheld battery-operated games”. Square Enix Newco Limited is listed as the trademark applicant, which is a recently established company in London, England.Earlier this month, it was reported that Square Enix is looking to sell off stakes in Western studios in a bid to “improve capital efficiency.” This follows the sale of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos to Embracer Group back in early May. The deal was worth around £240million ($300million) and included Square Enix studios Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix Montréal, and Eidos.In July, the founder of Eidos, Stephane D’Astous, stated that the Final Fantasy publisher may have sold its Western developers to gear up for a Sony acquisition.At the time, he said: “If I read between the lines, Square Enix Japan was not as committed as we hoped initially.

Square Enix’s recently sold Eidos-Montréal studio has said that the Japanese company may have sold its western developers to gear up for a Sony acquisition.Stephane D’Astous made the comment on Tuesday (July 26), after resigning from Eidos-Montréal in 2013 due to the “lack of leadership, lack of courage and the lack of communication.”D’Astous has said that he’s heard Square Enix sold off many of its western IP and studios like Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix Montréal and Eidos-Montréal to Embracer Group to make itself more palatable for a potential Sony acquisition (via GamesIndustry.biz).“If I read between the lines, Square Enix Japan was not as committed as we hoped initially. And there are rumours, obviously, that with all these activities of mergers and acquisitions, that Sony would really like to have Square Enix within their wheelhouse,” explained D’Astous.

Xbox livestream on Twitch may have accidentally revealed that She-Hulk is the next hero joining the team on Marvel’s Avengers.The stream saw Marvel’s Avengers’ lead designer Brian Waggoner playing alongside streamer Techniq, with the pair discussing the recent inclusion of Jane Foster AKA The Mighty Thor in the game.From there, Techniq started talking about his foray into the world of acting before revealing that “my acting coach is actually the voice of She-Hulk. I won’t say her name because I don’t think that’s public knowledge yet but I think it was announced,” he says with Waggoner replying “Nope.

Square Enix has announced that Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor is coming to Marvel’s Avengers next week.Sharing the news yesterday on Twitter (June 22), the publisher revealed that the Mighty Thor will be headed to the game as part of the previously announced free 2.5 update on June 28.“Jane’s Mighty Thor is an unstoppable force of nature that new players and seasoned vets alike will want to experience,” said Marvel’s Avengers art director, Jeff Adams. “We hope that you enjoy the assortment of awesome outfits created for her.”Gaze upon the glory of the Mighty Thor!Art Director Jeff Adams is here to discuss the design philosophy in some of the Mighty Thor's iconic comic-inspired Outfits.⛈️ https://t.co/cAOSAbTgJC pic.twitter.com/HPAzD4iq7r— Marvel's Avengers (@PlayAvengers) June 22, 2022As the new developer blog further explains, Jane Foster will also receive four outfits after her release.

Crystal Dynamics will still work on the Perfect Dark reboot with The Initiative following news that the former studio will be acquired by Embracer Group.Earlier today (May 2) it was announced that Square Enix has decided to sell much of its western development arm for around £240million ($300million USD), with that including Tomb Raider and Marvel’s Avengers developer Crystal Dynamics.Since then, Xbox-owned studio The Initiative has quote tweeted Crystal Dynamics statement concerning the acquisition, confirming that the studio is still working on the upcoming Perfect Dark game.“We’re excited to see Crystal Dynamics take these next steps with their studio. Our teams have made great progress in building Perfect Dark together as co-development partners, and we will be continuing this work with them in their next chapter.”The deal is also set to include Square Enix Montréal, Eidos-Montréal and the Thief and Legacy Of Kain franchises.The upcoming Perfect Dark game appears to be undergoing development troubles, as director Dan Neuburger left the studio in February and “fast and furious” losses were reported to be taking place there as well.This news means that at present, Crystal Dynamics is supporting Marvel’s Avengers, co-developing Perfect Dark and in the early stages of a new Tomb Raider title.As confirmed in April, the next Tomb Raider game will run on Unreal Engine 5 as Crystal Dynamics wants to “push the envelope of fidelity”.“This new engine translates into next-level storytelling and gameplay experiences,” said franchise general manager Dallas Dickinson.

Marvel’s Avengers has confirmed it will be adding Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor as part of its 2.5 update.The news follows on from the reveal that Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster will seemingly be taking up the Mighty Thor mantle in the upcoming Marvel Studios film Thor: Love And Thunder.However, Crystal Dynamic has said that the movie has no impact on their latest updates. “Our Hero designs are driven first and foremost by their core comic book identities, so, as a fellow wielder of Mjolnir, her suite of abilities will have a lot in common with the Odinson’s, however she will also have elements that are distinctly Jane,” the studio said.

Unreal Engine 5 presentation from Epic Games, developer Crystal Dynamics announced it was starting work on the next instalment of the Tomb Raider series.Franchise general manager for Tomb Raider, Dallas Dickinson, explained that the team is proud to be a part of the launch of Unreal Engine 5, saying:“This new engine translates into next-level storytelling and gameplay experiences, and that’s why we’re thrilled to announce today that we’ve just started development of our next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5.”“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. We can’t wait to take this journey together.”The developer was behind the most recent Marvel’s Avengers title, which got a pretty big patch at the end of March.

The Initiative, the studio working on a reboot of Perfect Dark, is facing significantly high turnover and issues with slow progress.As reported by VGC, as many as half of Perfect Dark‘s core development team have quit The Initiative over the last year.VGC reports that this includes “most” of The Initiative’s senior design team. Last week, it was discovered that Dan Neuburger – game director at The Initiative – was one of the senior members that left.Departures include two senior system designers, a lead level designer, two senior writers, a design director, and more.The report claims that from speaking to several senior developers, “a lack of creative autonomy and slow development progress” were attributed to this departure.

Crystal Dynamics has said it is removing paid XP boosts from Marvel’s Avengers by the “end of today”.The news was broken on the official Marvel’s Avengers subreddit, r/PlayAvengers, which is a “developer supported community,” with the post itself tagged as being written by a developer.Since the forms of paid XP boost were added to the title less than a month ago, the decision to include them in the game has been reversed.​​”We apologize for not responding sooner to your concerns about the addition of paid consumables in the Marketplace,” the post reads.

Xbox Game Studios boss, Matt Booty, has discussed how Xbox “jumped at the chance” to work with Crystal Dynamics on its upcoming Perfect Dark reboot.In an interview with Kinda Funny Games and transcribed by VGC, Booty explained the thought process behind Xbox’s plans:“I think we’re at a point in the industry where if you’ve got a team like the Crystal Dynamics team that becomes available, which has got great pedigree, good success, just a lot of skill, and through connections—you know, the fact we’ve got Daryl Gallagher at The Initiative, who knows some folks there—and they become available, going back to what are my jobs day-to-day, it would just be, I’d be remiss to [not] say ‘we’ve got to find a way to make this work’.”As he continued,

Marvel’s Avengers had a free trial weekend on Steam, PlayStation, and Stadia, and it proved to be a massive success in attracting new players.As originally spotted by TheGamer, the free play event on Steam set a 24-hour peak of 10,161 players when the game usually averages only a few hundred concurrent users at a time.While that player peak doesn’t hit the heights of its launch period which achieved nearly 32,000 Steam players last September, it’s a big increase for a game that’s previously been struggling to garner players.The reason behind it? Part of it may be due to the recent announcement that the Black Panther War For Wakanda expansion is out on August 17.

Perfect Dark, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has said that the reboot will add some diversity to a predominantly male first-party lineup.Phil Spencer was speaking on the IGN Unlocked podcast when he commented “I think it’s awesome that, for us, we can focus on a female protagonist in our line-up”, noting “we don’t have a lot of that” in the Xbox first-party lineup.Following up, he states “I think Joanna offers a lot of modern opportunities that I love to see the team focusing on”The upcoming reboot was first announced in 2020 and is being developed by The Initiative, a studio that is part of Xbox Game Studios.Studio Head Darrell Gallagher has a positive history of franchise reboots – during his time at Crystal Dynamics, he was Studio Head for