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Lara Croft getting a female-friendly makeover? photo

In the face of falling sales, Eidos is looking at yet another reinvention of Lara Croft in a bid to rekindle the popularity of the Tomb Raider franchise. According to reports, sales of Tomb Raider: Underworld have fallen some 500,000 copies short of predictions, and Eidos is naturally placing the blame squarely on Lara ... or at least her designers.

"We need to look at everything, as we develop the next game. Look at how Batman changed successfully, from the rather sad character of the Michael Keaton era to the noir style of The Dark Knight," claims Robert Brent, Eidos' chief financial adviser. 

In order to do this, Eidos is considering a more "female-friendly" approach to the company's most popular series, and may well reinvent everything about it from the way it looks to the way it plays. At this rate, one can reasonably expect Eidos to publish Lara Unleashed, where the Tomb Raider star periodically turns into a werewolf with stretchy arms. 

Will a complete series reboot help the ailing franchise? Hasn't Eidos tried something like this before, with less than stellar results? It always seems to me that once a series enters the "reboot" phase, its survival is pretty much a coin toss. A breath of fresh air could certainly help, but Eidos should probably take a look at a little spiky blue guy to make sure they don't screw it up.


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60 comments | showing # 1 to 50

blehman's Avatar
blehman at 01/11/2009 10:00
So she'll be frumpy with a can-do attitude? Do not want. That or it'll be Lara Jessica Crofter.
Rosseh's Avatar
Rosseh at 01/11/2009 10:02
This is why I hate business. It's aparently easier to reinvent an existing/established franchise than to create a new one. Do the risks of creating a new name really outweigh the risks of alienating the existing fanbase?
atastysammich's Avatar
atastysammich at 01/11/2009 10:03
I've always said the Tomb Raider series could use less playtime as stupid sidekicks. And who thought fishing was a good idea?
The Young Scot's Avatar
The Young Scot at 01/11/2009 10:03
They'll give her a penis, women love those
covah's Avatar
covah at 01/11/2009 10:06
DO NOT TOUCH THE BOOBIES!

Seriously, if they did shit like boob reduction to Lara Croft, that would be like taking Mario and making his hat orange. It just wouldn't be right!
darkwhitehair's Avatar
darkwhitehair at 01/11/2009 10:06
first they blame the economy for poor sales... now they blame the big boobs... hey dumbasses guess what... I didnt buy your game because it sucked... also I have other good games to buy...

If I want big boobs Ill watch porn... if I want good action adventure game... Ill buy Uncharted...
vonneuton's Avatar
vonneuton at 01/11/2009 10:09
Yeah, they really should have looked at Uncharted as the way to go with the last game. It was all... arrrggghhh.
silvain's Avatar
silvain at 01/11/2009 10:27
Two words: topless mode.

What?
Tron's Avatar
Tron at 01/11/2009 10:32
Female Friendly = make her ugly, and a librarian, making her non-threatening
mistic's Avatar
mistic at 01/11/2009 10:38
They already made a lady-friendly Tomb Raider, but they called it Uncharted :p
Verol's Avatar
Verol at 01/11/2009 10:42
Cooking Mama: Starring Lara Croft?
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar
EternalDeathSlayer at 01/11/2009 10:51
Who the fuck are they kidding? This is just a shitty company clinging to their last semi-popular franchise.

Lara is supposed to be the cornerstone of their business, but it's not really helping that she's out of date and boring to be frank. Oooohh, she's hot. Who cares? She still does the same shit she did more than 10 years ago, and that's the real problem: Regardless of the technological advances we've made, people aren't stupid. Lara is still the same, and so are her games.

I know the newest game is pretty good, cause I own it. But it's nothing mind blowing, and in today's world of Gears of War and Halo, you need to be mind blowing. It's just the way it is.
Cough's Avatar
Cough at 01/11/2009 10:53
I am a tiny bit offended. But i'm not quite sure.
Is... is he dissing Micheal Keaton's batman?

Now, maybe you can make a new IP. A fun new IP. Instead of whoring Lara. Or.. unwhoring? I don't even know anymore.
XanderSan's Avatar
XanderSan at 01/11/2009 10:56
They've already made a female friendly Lara Croft. It's Lara Croft. Girls like her, she was a symbol of feminine power in the mid 90's. I mean she's always been more of a strong, gun-wielding treasure hunter than a sex symbol. Except at the end of that training sequence when there was something about wet clothes. That was all about the sex. Damn right.

But yeah, the problem is the games haven't really been that good for a while now, and after Angel of Darkness really raped the franchise, Legend and the rest should have been the reimaginings that the company have now only just have realised they need a full three titles behind.
Aero's Avatar
Aero at 01/11/2009 10:56
Well that's a shame. I rented Tomb Raider Underworld and actually liked it, the only reason I haven't bought it yet is because I'm going through Legend and Anniversary which I missed out on.
Looks like I got into the series just as Eidos are going to make it shit.
Sup3rt3d's Avatar
Sup3rt3d at 01/11/2009 11:01
Underworld was certainly better than the previous three, its a decent, enjoyable game. What hurt the sales was the time it was released (busy busy) and the general feeling (caused by Angel of Darkness mostly) that Tomb Raider's had its day.
FrogWhoIsFinal's Avatar
FrogWhoIsFinal at 01/11/2009 11:02
What about the Lesbians? I'm sure the ones I know are quite happy with the way things are now.
pascuz46's Avatar
pascuz46 at 01/11/2009 11:05
Tomb Raider is a dated series, Its the same game over and over again. The formula hasn't changed in over 10 years, maybe this revamp will help, but I have a feeling it'll be a more 'casual' kind of game. While I still want to play Tomb Raider: Underworld, it was not one of those games that I'm dieing to play. Ive lost most interest in this franchise and I think some people share my Point of View.
Nogarda's Avatar
Nogarda at 01/11/2009 11:05
Lara Croft in Angel of Darkness 2. I think not. cause that is essentially what that entire article was saying to me. Personally I believe in the 'ain't broke don't fix it, but feel free to add new stuff that doesnt break the old stuff method' of gaming. Some people are endlessly asking more more more, when it'll never be enough look at all GTA offers. yet because it doesnt have the old dodo, the forums light up in fanboy flames. You won't ever statify everyone, and unless it becomes tomb raider: the tomb of kratos, thier isn't going to be a zomg moment for lara. She is what is is, just the way mario will always be a cock teased overweight plumber who refuses to admit she will endlessly tease him like a battered house husband.

In seriousness though, Lara needs a love interest, filled with plot twists, a subtle sex scene in a underground waterfall oasis or something.
Gyrael's Avatar
Gyrael at 01/11/2009 11:10
Touristic Tomb Visiter: Egyptian Fun
ender_x's Avatar
ender_x at 01/11/2009 11:12
hi, I'm jim and I'm dark and edgy.
zgerhard's Avatar
zgerhard at 01/11/2009 11:14
They really need to pick a better time to release videogames.

Call of Duty: WaW, Prince of Persia, NFS: Undercover, GoW 2, L4D, all within a month. People usually don't have tons of money to drop on games they want, so they pick one.
SephirothX's Avatar
SephirothX at 01/11/2009 11:15
Wait so the new Batman isnt said or anything?
greeneggsnsam's Avatar
greeneggsnsam at 01/11/2009 11:25
So Tomb Raider is coming to the Wii, eh?
Kia's Avatar
Kia at 01/11/2009 11:29
I actually didn't mind Lara's Underworld version, so...whatever, Eidos. >_>a
John B's Avatar
John B at 01/11/2009 11:32
@greenessbnam:

Fanboy troll FAIL.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary was already released on the Wii and got a B- from 1Up, which is nothing to smirk at.
John B's Avatar
John B at 01/11/2009 11:33
...or greeneggsnsam or whatever your name is. :P
Bioautographical's Avatar
Bioautographical at 01/11/2009 11:33
I, as a female, would love something like "Jeffrey Steele: Booty Plunderer", featuring a rippling-muscled lad as the protagonist, cursed with a fantastic ass and a prominent bulge beneath his safari vest.

Get on it, Eidos.
Coldbrand's Avatar
Coldbrand at 01/11/2009 11:37
Now all she needs is a "good gameplay-friendly makeover".
Mr Wrighty 987's Avatar
Mr Wrighty 987 at 01/11/2009 11:46
put her in a track suit colour her hair blonde and give her a cigar and boom Jimmy Saville!
Volomon's Avatar
Volomon at 01/11/2009 11:48
"female-friendly"? How about some nip-slip and you have a deal. I think in reality the reason Tomb Raider has been so popular is even since the first release you could patch it up with nudity. Now it hasn't even been released for PC.

This is why it failed. Games like Wet for instance know that their is a heavy MALE appeal to these games. Not FEMALE, unless their lesbian. Otherwise the rack wouldn't be so large and the curves so prevalent.

These audiences who have grown up with Lara being the gaming sex symbol have out lasted the childish "curves" feature. We are now adults. Give us Tits or GTFO.
MultiJoe's Avatar
MultiJoe at 01/11/2009 12:01
I thought her first makeover was good enough. It turned down the sluttiness she'd accumulated over the games and actually gave a bit of character to her appearance again.
0/10 for the 'HURR female friendly = feminist librarian' comments though.
Regor's Avatar
Regor at 01/11/2009 12:03
damn! i was hoping for even bigger boobs next time :-(
Qraze's Avatar
Qraze at 01/11/2009 12:04
a revamp won't help her. a restart won't help her. 5-6 years without a new tomb raider WILL help her if they just wait for us to anticipate a new game. this years next tomb raider won't change a thing about sales or reputation, but eidos won't have that and they HAVE to release a new game, why? they won't listen to us though, they'll only listen to themselves and because of that, no Gex the gecko or legacy of Kain games that would do a hundred times better than any new tomb raider.

if they would just stop making tomb raider for a few years i bet it would do great. but eidos just wants to spoon feed us crap and not listen to the gamers or the game itself. Lara needs a break, a long one.
IroN1c's Avatar
IroN1c at 01/11/2009 12:09
"It always seems to me that once a series enters the "reboot" phase, its survival is pretty much a coin toss."

Resident Evil 4.
sickNasty's Avatar
sickNasty at 01/11/2009 12:09
Yes Qraze, another Gex would be awesome.

And Volomon, hopefully if you're an 'adult' as you say you are, you are actually attracted to you know, women that actually exist, not some computer graphics.

And if they are serious about a redesign, I think Eidos can learn a lot from Jade from Beyond Good & Evil. That game proved that it is possible to have a female character that appeals to all players. She isn't sexualized, but at the same time isn't some 'butch' feminist icon. She's just a normal, engaging character.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 01/11/2009 12:15
"Resident Evil 4."

Which would represent the "survived" side of the coin toss.
Volomon's Avatar
Volomon at 01/11/2009 12:27
@sickNasty If any remote sense of what you are saying were true. Porn, Hustler, Virtual, and Artistical depiction of nudity from caveman paintings to Lara Croft wouldn't exist. Nor would their be an entire market deicated to advertising via sexual appeal. If you look at her gaming models in every reiteration her tits get larger.

So being an adult I am not retarded but realistic. Lara Croft has grown up through the ages of childish area that games are for kids.

Adulthood entails growing understanding. In adulthood I prefer to see my tits up front instead of sexual innuendos which maybe what your use to, but I am not. I will not play games which continue this tread nor will many other adults.
fetusmilk's Avatar
fetusmilk at 01/11/2009 12:29
butter face + butter controls? maybe even a little to much talking?

sounds like one of those games your dumb friends will take home because the cover looks good.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 01/11/2009 12:30
Lol. Eidos are muppets. I realised a while ago that I was not interested in the Tomb Raider games anymore. When the series moved to PS2, little changed from the three or four previous PS1 outings.

I think Crystal Dynamics overhall of the series was a positive move, but in truth Tomb Raider needed to change totally from the ground up, game design and everything, because like a DeLorean, its outta time, out of date. Gears and GRAW good introduced cover mechanics for fighting, but Lara is still stuck in that same Hong Kong twin gun thing from the 90s, but not other means of fighting, WTF!. Sorry Eidos, not all designs are timeless I think and this stands for Tomb Raider. The climbing stuff and acrobatics looked great, but the fighting is still the same shit.

If you are going to milk this series, what it needs is a serious rethink and reboot (possibly with a totally new name too), along with a damn good rest. Take a look at what Ubisoft did with PoP to reboot that, Eidos. PoP sales might not have been the best, but the twists an tweaks in its design still make it something I'd buy and play.

The sex appeal of Lara was a nice building block back then and sure has its place, however, we have newer more intelligent female characters now. In general, Lara will find it harder it the 21 century games market.

Tomb Raider you need to end, but Safe Raider (or something like that with an Oceans 11 style twist) I would definitely buy, if done well. Get back to the drawing board, Eidos.
Volomon's Avatar
Volomon at 01/11/2009 12:41
@ Cowboy TTop I have to call bullshit on that 21st century game crap. When all men turn gay that may become true.

http://www.wetthegame.com/splash/

Hell theres a playboy edition just recently about 2 years ago (second edition) on virtual nudity.

http://www.joystiq.com/2004/09/10/playboy-amp-the-girls-of-gaming-sneak-peak/

We are just out of the 50s with getting MATURITY into games. Mass Effect for instance. Lap dances for Niko.

I think you guys are oblivious to the nature and need for sex, in all aspects of life.

Heres the irony people died for sexual freedom during the 60-70s and here you are fighting it on the virtual front. Puritan morales just never seem to go away.
Magnalon's Avatar
Magnalon at 01/11/2009 12:53
How about they make a good game, frumpy or sexy character included, and we enjoy it?

If not, they should just cut out that whole division and say goodbye to Tomb Raider. If Clover Studios shut down, this studio sure as hell can too.
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 01/11/2009 13:00
How about they not call the game "Tomb Raider", so people will actually want to buy it instead of playing the same rehash they've been playing for over ten years? Just throwing it out there.
Suprore's Avatar
Suprore at 01/11/2009 13:01
She (as in the Crystal Dynamics version) already is female friendly.

Now that she vaguely resembles a real human and is written a bit better what's the problem? We have idealized male heroes in plenty of games, of is she any worse for women than Kratos is for men?
masterninja's Avatar
masterninja at 01/11/2009 13:21
So they don't wanna satisfy the original audience by making a good game...instead just search out a new audience?
The thing I don't get is females enjoy tomb raider games why make Lara more female friendly if thats not the issue at all....

Take care of the real problem and the sales will increase...
whormongr's Avatar
whormongr at 01/11/2009 13:22
here it is .... "imagine lara croft" where you get to choose her outfits and makeup and solve little puzzles and never go on missions.....
AgentMOO's Avatar
AgentMOO at 01/11/2009 13:28
It's funny hearing this after seeing them put their latest Lara model through the objectification grinder with pictures of high kicks showing bikini zone, and just short of nude photos with the Sun.
atheistium's Avatar
atheistium at 01/11/2009 13:55
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Narishma's Avatar
Narishma at 01/11/2009 13:57
They should just sell it to Ubisoft. They know how to reboot series.
Aurain's Avatar
Aurain at 01/11/2009 14:00
@Narishma

Yeah, and we get even more crappy endings too!
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