What the Lara Croft Marketing Backlash Means for Tomb Raider…
The story highlights the long-running tension between developers' creative vision and publishers' marketing instincts, and it frames how far Lara Croft's portrayal has shifted from the original realis…
The story highlights the long-running tension between developers' creative vision and publishers' marketing instincts, and it frames how far Lara Croft's portrayal has shifted from the original realis…
Key points - Core Design originally envisioned Lara Croft as a realistic, almost androgynous Latina character named Laura Cruz. - Lead programmer Paul Douglas says the team changed her physique to suit more stylised movement. - Publisher Eidos initially feared a female lead wouldn't sell before making Lara the focus of marketing. - Level designer Heather Stevens says Eidos oversexualised Lara in marketing poses and outfits, showing a lack of imagination. - The 2013 Crystal Dynamics reboot brought Lara closer to the original realistic vision.
Timeline - Early development: Lara Croft is conceived as a realistic, almost androgynous Latina character called Laura Cruz. - First Tomb Raider launch: Eidos puts Lara front and center in marketing despite earlier doubts about a female lead. - Sequel era: Eidos releases pin-up style renders of Lara in increasingly suggestive stages of undress. - 2013: Crystal Dynamics' reboot renders Lara closer to the original realistic vision.
FAQ
Q: Was Lara Croft always meant to be a sex symbol? A: No. Core Design originally envisioned her as a realistic, almost androgynous Latina character before her physique was stylised, and the team wasn't thrilled with Eidos' sexualised marketing.
Q: Who decided to market Lara Croft that way? A: Publisher Eidos Interactive leaned into her marketability, putting her front and center and later releasing pin-up style renders. Douglas says the publisher took the character and ran with it.
Q: Are the new Tomb Raider games bringing back the old Lara style? A: Tomb Raider: Catalyst and Legacy of Atlantis are leaning into a more campy, exaggerated vision of Lara, though the source suggests we likely won't see the same boudoir-style pin-ups.
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