The Unified Tomb Raider Timeline

If this is your first dip into the Tomb Raider franchise and you're wondering where to begin, well hopefully this post will give you a few directions. To give you a very brief catchup on our 30 years old franchise, Tomb Raider began in 1996 with the release of 'Tomb Raider' on PC, PlayStation and then Mac. Fast forward and the franchise has seen a soft reboot, a full reboot and we are now in a unification timeline. We haven't yet been given an official unification timeline but we are hoping that this book 'Chronicles of the Tomb Raider' will provide some proper answers. However, we were told by the then Franchise General Manager, Dallas Dickinson back in 2021 (the 25th anniversary year), that everything that happens going forward is canon. We will update this blog post once the book releases. And one final note: you won't miss out on too much in the video games if you are unable to read the comics, they are small individual adventures that Lara has between games.

Lara Croft's Origin Story...

This is one fact that we can definitely be sure of. If you are indeed a new player in this franchise, then start here. I shan't type down any spoilers to any media, just list them in order. You can click the titles and be taken to pages that will provide more information.

• Tomb Raider: The Beginning  - Comic

A small prelude to the game 'Tomb Raider' (2013). Released physically as part of the Tomb Raider (2013) collector's edition. Was also available digitally.

• Tomb Raider (2013)  - Game

Lara's new origin story, which sees her learn to survive harsh environments, make her first kill and learn to believe in her skills and abilities.
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• Tomb Raider: The Ten Thousand Immortals - Novel

In the wake of Yamatai's enduring evil, Lara is thrust into a dangerous web of mystery and intrigue. Lara Croft wants only to put her horrifying ordeal on Yamatai island behind her. Her modest wish shatters as she's plunged into a frantic race to save Sam. Desperate for a remedy, Lara searches for anything that could help her. A wisp of hope arising from a myth gives Lara purpose; the story of an ancient and mysterious artifact that could heal her friend, and possibly help explain the supernatural events she witnessed on Yamatai. However, Lara is not alone in her pursuit of the treasure. A nefarious magnate, a shadow society, and lethal henchmen will stop at nothing to exploit the powerful relic for their own ends. The hunt drives Lara across the globe, through a twisted web of conspiracy, suspicious contacts, and life-or-death intrigue, as she seeks salvation for her friend and the truth behind the legendary talisman.

• Tomb Raider - Season of the Witch  - Comic

After surviving Yamatai, Lara and her fellow survivors took with them some pieces of gold. Soon after, they begin to experience awful visions so Lara decides to return to the island to face them. However these visions lead her and her friends into trouble.

• Tomb Raider - Secrets and Lies  - Comic

Lara Croft travels to Ukraine to find the sister of Alex Weiss, to give her something from her brother. Lara manages to find her and helps her protect her family, but she soon ends up being the one who is hunted down.​

• Tomb Raider - Queen of the Serpents  - Comic

Lara and her friends try to live a normal life after the events in Ukraine, however a friend who was believed to be dead has been brought to Lara’s attention and she decides to rescue him. To make matters worse, Sam is showing signs that Himiko has affected her more than she lets on.

• Rise of the Tomb Raider  - Game

Lara heads out on this adventure to uncover the truths in her father's research and learns more than she wanted to know. 

• Tomb Raider - Spore  - Comic

Lara Croft heads to an archaeological conference in Minnesota and meets up with Joslin Reyes. She is later approached by Mr Bellamy who mentions that he and a Professor Demur are interested in her works of immortality. He mentions that the professor wanted to meet, however Lara declines. After an 'accident’ at her hotel, she decides it best to meet with him and they go in search for the Mushroom of Immortality.

• Tomb Raider - Choice and Sacrifice - Comic

Lara Croft learns that her friend Samantha Nishimura has escaped from a mental hospital and immediately goes in search of her. She soon learns that Sam is very quickly being taken over by Himiko and so she researches an artefact known as the Wei Mirror to try and remove Himiko’s presence.

• Tomb Raider - Survivor's Crusade  - Comic

Following an argument with Jonah, Lara takes a year out to get away from Trinity to focus on other things. However, she goes from being the hunter to being hunted by Trinity.

• Tomb Raider - Inferno  - Comic

Lara hunts down Trinity in Antarctica and seeks to discover the mystery within their icy hideout before they can exploit it. Facing a new adversary who is more cunning and more prepared than expected, Lara must face the conflict residing within herself and decide how far she’s willing to go, and what to let go of in the process.

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider  - Game

Touted as 'Lara's defining moment... becoming who she is destined to be... the Tomb Raider' , Lara hears of Trinity's interest in a temple  in Cozumel, Mexico and is curious to know what they are looking for, so she and Jonah head off to investigate, accidentally causing a catastrophe in the process, one that Lara needs to fix. 

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider: The Path of the Apocalypse - Novel

This little adventure takes place between the ingame events of Mexico and Peru. When a mysterious stranger offers to help Lara uncover a clue that could give her the upper hand, she embarks on an expedition to a system of caves in Colombia. However, once they learn of Lara’s plans, Trinity will stop at nothing to reach the location first. Trinity believe they can turn the tables on Lara, but in the darkness of the underground caverns, there are terrors in the depths that neither Lara nor Trinity anticipated.

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Present Day...

At the moment, we don't know how much time passes between Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, but it can be presumed that Legacy of Atlantis is chronologically the next video game adventure.
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• Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Season 1 and Season 2 - Netflix

In season one, Lara has to track down the thief who stole a dangerous and powerful Chinese artifact from Croft Manor. This adventure will be force Lara to confront her true self, and decide just what kind of hero she wants to become. Season two sees Lara on her next adventure as she discovers a trail of precious stolen African Orisha masks and sets out to retrieve them with her friend Sam.

• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis - Game

A modern reimagining of Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007), which in itself was a reimagining of the very original Tomb Raider (1996).  Game is set to release 12th February 2027 but there is a lot of content for players to check out for this game.

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The Future...

We cannot be sure what exactly follows after Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. It has been suggested that Tomb Raider 2 and her following adventures up until Tomb Raider: Underworld take place after Legacy of Atlantis but before Tomb Raider Catalyst, so with that in mind...

• ​Tomb Raider 2 / Tomb Raider I-III Remastered - Game

Lara is on the search for the Chinese dagger of Xian, which will take her to China, Italy, the deepest depths of the sea, to Tibet and then back to China. There's a surprise twist at the end of the game too.

• ​Tomb Raider 3 / Tomb Raider I-III Remastered - Game

Another globetrotting adventure sees Lara in India, Nevada, the South Pacific islands, London and even Antarctica as she tracks down four meteorite artifacts for Dr Mark Willard. 
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• ​Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation / Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered - Game

This game starts with a young Lara before the main quest, and will then take you on a very long journey in Egypt!!
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• ​Tomb Raider Chronicles / Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered - Game

After the events at the end of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Lara's friends gather at her manor to reminisce about her untold previous adventures.
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• ​Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness / Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered - Game

Lara and her world takes on a darker aesthetic as she tries to clear her name of a murder that she may or may not have committed. 
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• Tomb Raider: Legend - Game

A fun romp around the globe for Lara, hunting down the fragments of Excalibur and learning more about the sword in the stone monomyth. 

• Tomb Raider: Underworld - Game

Join Lara on an epic adventure as she discovers the pieces of Thor's armour. There are two DLCs for this game (Beneath the Ashes and Lara's Shadow). They are Xbox exclusive sadly, but you don't miss out on anything if you don't or can't play them. 

• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light - Game

The first game in the franchise to change perspective and introduce co-op. Help Lara and Totec to find the Mirror of Smoke before the evil god called Xolotl does.

• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris - Game

The second game under the 'Lara Croft' title, this game takes place in Egypt and sees Lara Croft and Carter Bell seek help from the Egyptian gods Isis and Horus to retrieve the body parts of Osiris to free themselves from the Underworld.

• Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever - Novel

Lara Croft heads to Candle Lane to help Carter Bell with an excavation site, but instead finds something that will rewrite history books. The pair travel to Türkiye and Egypt to uncover the mysteries of the Blade of Gwynnever.

• Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen - Comic

​It’s up to Lara Croft and Carter Bell to stop a group of cultists from causing worldwide cataclysmic devastation! Ancient ivory artifacts hold the key to both salvation and destruction, and these rivals turned friends must recover them before the cultists in a race against time! Lara’s newest quest is filled with incredible action, dual pistols, and high-spirited adventure.

• Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts - Comic

​Following the events of the game 'Tomb Raider: Underworld'. When Croft Manor goes up in flames, it forces Lara to take stock of her life and figure out what is important to her. But a confrontation with a mysterious foe who has gotten their hands on a dangerous and familiar artifact provides some clarity as it launches Lara on a cross-continental journey doing what she does best…raiding tombs and questing for legendary relics. 

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Even further in the future...
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• Tomb Raider Catalyst - Game

Apart from the initial announcement trailer, there is very little out there. This game is planned to release in 2028.