page_title: Tomb Raider: Legend
section_title: Development
hierarchical_section_title: Tomb Raider: Legend / Development
caption_attribution_description: English: Toby Gard at the E3 2005 Français&#160;: Toby Gard à l’E3 2005
context_page_description: Tomb Raider: Legend is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the seventh entry in the Tomb Raider series and the first in a franchise reboot that reimagined the origins and character of series protagonist Lara Croft. The game released in 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and mobile phones. A PlayStation 3 port was released in 2011.
  Legend details Lara Croft's quest for the mythical sword Excalibur, racing across the world against her former friend Amanda Evert. Gameplay features Lara navigating linear levels, fighting enemies and solving environmental puzzles to progress. The DS and GBA versions share the game's story while sporting gameplay adjusted for the platforms. The mobile version adapts locations from the game into on rails command-based platforming and combat scenarios.
  Following the critical failure of Core Design's Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, Eidos transferred development of the next Tomb Raider to American developer Crystal Dynamics, who began production in 2004.
context_section_description: British-based studio Core Design developed the Tomb Raider series until 2003. Following the successful release of the original game in 1996, they produced four successive sequels between 1997 and 2000. Their sixth and last Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, beset by developmental problems, was rushed to an early release to tie in with the 2003 movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, a sequel to the successful 2001 film. The game was a critical failure due to its technical problems and blamed for the commercial failure of The Cradle of Life by Paramount Pictures. The failure of The Angel of Darkness—in addition to general fatigue with the series among Core Design staff—prompted the cancellation of planned sequels, and Eidos Interactive moved development responsibilities to another studio.
  Crystal Dynamics took over responsibility for developing future Tomb Raider games. They had gained fame for their work on the Gex and Legacy of Kain series. The team responsible for Legend was the same team responsible for Legacy of Kain: Defiance. According to producer Morgan Gray, the team were wowed initially at being tasked with producing the Tomb Raider series before fully understanding the challenges involved. A notable addition to the team was Toby Gard, one of the key creative figures of the Tomb Raider franchise as both lead designer of the first Tomb Raider and Lara's creator. Gard joined the Crystal Dynamics team during the pre-production phase; he has been referred to as a senior designer, creative consultant, and lead character designer. Gard also helped the team flesh out Lara's early animations, co-wrote the overall story, and worked on creating the characters of both Lara and the rest of the cast. Production of the game began in 2004, lasting approximately two years.
caption: Toby Gard, a key figure for the series and credited creator of Lara Croft, at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
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