Will a naked Lara Croft save Tomb Raider?

happygeek 0 266 Views

Apparently it would appear that the Tomb raider franchise is not as healthy as it used to be. The days of movie spin-offs with Angelina Jolie would look like being long gone (was it really 2001 that the movie came out?) Indeed, publisher Eidos even had to renegotiate debt covenants according to some reports, so badly did the latest episode of the video game fare when released.

However, talking in one still very popular Tomb Raider support forum, a member rumoured to be none other than Eric Lindstrom (creative director on Tomb Raider: Underworld) has hinted that the ESRB teen rating which prevents sexual content in the game might be scrapped in future versions. "...yes the Teen rating meant we couldn't do things we wanted to" he says, adding "It won't always necessarily be so, though, the future can always be different."

This has led to some speculation that the next Tomb Raider release could feature a naked Lara Croft.

To be honest, given that teens seem to love posting naked pictures of themselves online anyway I am not sure if this would be such a revelation. Now if it were a naked Angelina Jolie in a new movie things might be different, but a cartoon character in a video game? Plus, remember, that parents have made it quite clear how is a bigger turn off than virtual violence. So such a move could even damage, rather than repair, the Tomb Raider brand.

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer: no — making Lara explicitly nude would be a shortcut that hurts distribution and brand value more than it helps. The "sex sells" headline might get attention, but an Adults Only (AO) classification or the explicit-content route would lock the franchise out of major consoles, many retailers, and mainstream marketing channels. That outcome reduces total addressable customers and undermines any movie/merchandising tie‑ins that publishers rely on. ()

The industry precedent is clear: an AO rating has real commercial consequences. Platform holders and major retailers have historically refused AO titles (the Manhunt 2 episode is a textbook example), so publishers almost always edit to avoid AO or accept a sharply reduced audience. That makes explicit nudity a poor tool for “rescuing” a broadly aimed franchise. (wired.com)

There is a proven, less risky route: reboot or retool the IP around better writing, mechanics, and characterization instead of sexualization. Crystal Dynamics’ 2013 Tomb Raider reboot repositioned Lara as a believable, survival‑oriented protagonist and the title became the best selling game in the series, selling millions of copies and restoring franchise momentum — a business outcome worth noting for anyone thinking about brand strategy. (press.na.square-enix.com)

Practical takeaway for developers/publishers (from a product and distribution perspective): keep mature themes if appropriate, but stay within ratings and platform limits that preserve reach; invest in narrative, gameplay, and transmedia compatibility; and run market tests (focus groups, platform-holder guidance, retailer appetite) before moving toward any content that might trigger AO-level policies. Those levers are far more likely to revive sales than courting controversy. ()

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