Crystal Dynamics’ Rise of the Tomb Raider is due to launch for the PlayStation 4 and PC platforms next year following the expiration of an Xbox console exclusivity agreement, publisher Square Enix announced today.
Rise of the Tomb Raider will premiere for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 later this year, and will remain exclusive to Microsoft’s platforms until 2016.
PC players are next in line to see Rise of the Tomb Raider after its Xbox console debut, as Square Enix revealed that Steam and Windows 10 versions of the game are due to launch in “early 2016.” PlayStation 4 owners, meanwhile, will have to wait several months before getting a glimpse at Lara Croft’s latest adventure. The PS4 edition of Rise of the Tomb Raider will launch one full year after the release of the Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions, arriving in “Holiday 2016.”
Shortly after its unveiling at E3 2014, Rise of the Tomb Raider was named as an Xbox console exclusive. Microsoft noted that the exclusivity was timed, though it did not previously specify the length of the agreement it had established with Square Enix.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is a direct follow-up to 2013’s Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. A drastic reboot of the long-running franchise, 2013’s Tomb Raider took the series back to its origins, presenting a storyline focused on a younger, inexperienced Lara Croft. Gameplay shifted in a cinematic direction inspired by Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series, bridging series-traditional puzzles with action sequences and ranged combat.
Tomb Raider also introduced a survival element to the series, challenging players to subsist in harsh environments by using crude tools and weapons. Tomb Raider later made its way to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2014 with Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, a visually upgraded re-release that bundled all previously issued DLC.
Rise of the Tomb Raider will launch first for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 on November 10, 2015.
