Tomb Raider Turns 30: Pierre Dupont, Hand of Midas, and Motorcycle Action Star in New Legacy of Atlantis Teaser
On October 24, 1996, British studio Core Design introduced European Sega Saturn players to an archaeologist who would permanently reshape three-dimensional action-adventure gaming. Exactly three decades later, Crystal Dynamics, Flying Wild Hog, and Amazon Games are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Tomb Raider with a brand-new gameplay teaser for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, scheduled to launch on February 12, 2027, for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Pierre Dupont, the Hand of Midas, and Unreal Engine 5 Action
Unveiled during the official TR30 anniversary celebrations in Derby, the original hometown of Core Design, and at MCM London Comic Con, the new trailer highlights iconic moments from the 1996 classic rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. Following earlier footage showing how Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reimagines Egypt in Unreal Engine 5, this anniversary showcase shifts focus toward classic Greek traps and rival encounters.
The teaser offers the very first look at the updated Unreal Engine 5 character model for Pierre Dupont, Lara Croft's recurring French rival hired by Jacqueline Natla. Classic hazards from the Greek chapters also take center stage, including the Hall of Atlas, giant rolling boulders, and the infamous Hand of Midas turning its victim into solid gold.
On the gameplay front, Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog are expanding the original template with several modern traversal and combat mechanics:
- Grappling Hook Traversal: Lara now deploys a grappling tool to swing across chasms spanning Peru, Greece, Egypt, and Atlantis while retaining her signature acrobatic flips.
- Slow-Motion Combat Focus: Gunfights against mercenaries and hostile wildlife, including silverback gorillas, feature dynamic dodges paired with slow-motion targeting windows.
- Motorcycle Segments: The footage confirms high-speed motorcycle sequences woven into the expedition.
Over 500 Streaming Soundtrack Cuts, Lo-Fi Beats, and Steam Discounts
Beyond preparing one of the flagship adventures on the 2027 game release calendar, Crystal Dynamics is marking the 30th anniversary with a massive archival music initiative. Working alongside franchise music specialist Harry Hinds, the studio is bringing more than 500 official Tomb Raider soundtrack tracks to streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, featuring previously unreleased scores and archival compilations.
Fans can already tune into the newly released Tomb Raider: 30th Anniversary Lo-Fi Collection on the franchise's official YouTube channel. Produced by musician That Norsk Chick, the mix reimagines classic themes originally composed by Nathan McCree, Peter Connelly, Troels B. Folmann, Jason Graves, and Bobby Tahouri, paired with bespoke vocal lines recorded by Alix Wilton Regan, the new voice of Lara Croft in Legacy of Atlantis.
Meanwhile on PC, Steam is celebrating the milestone with an 89% discount on the Tomb Raider Definitive Survivor Trilogy bundle, bringing the complete modern trilogy (Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider) plus all DLC expansions down to just over $7 / €7.17.
For collectors looking to pick up official physical editions and themed hardware released for the 30th anniversary celebration, current listings are available below.
My Take
The Hand of Midas and Pierre Dupont rendered in Unreal Engine 5 immediately hit the right nostalgic notes from 1996, yet it is the kinetic pacing from Flying Wild Hog and Crystal Dynamics that stands out most. By layering in grappling hook momentum and motorcycle sequences without losing the eerie isolation of the original tombs, Legacy of Atlantis looks ready to bridge classic puzzle-platforming and modern action when it arrives this February.
Based on the outskirts of New York City, Chaya 'Chayane' spent five years studying software engineering in Montreal before returning to her home state. A Full-Stack developer and Deep Learning AI architecture researcher, she explores neural networks and algorithmic optimization while engineering data pipelines for Retrocharting and Gamescharting alongside Grimtag. A gamer for over 20 years and an avid collector of Nintendo history and The Legend of Zelda, she explored World of Warcraft's Azeroth before bringing her deep technical background to video game analysis.
