XBox 360 Has Lara Croft Venturing Deep Into The Underworld
Oh come on! I was all set to turn my PS3 into a Tomb Raider playing machine complete with gun holsters and a tight tank top but now I might be getting my Lara Croft platonic loving on the 360. Eidos and Microsoft have announced that the XBox 360 version of Tomb Raider: Underworld will feature two additional downloadable chapters. Eager fans will even be able to download a demo of the game this month, as long as you have a 360. Microsoft had this to say:
"We're thrilled that Xbox owners will be able to extend their Lara Croft adventures with exclusive Tomb Raider: Underworld episodes," said George Peckham, General Manager of Global Third Party Publishing for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "We look forward to continue working closely with our great publishing partners to deliver the most robust gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360."
As for PS3 and PC owners who are hoping to get a little extra Croft. Not going to happen. In addition to not having a demo released on either of the two platforms MTV has worse news about the episodic content:
An Eidos Interactive spokesperson told MTV Multiplayer the content for "Tomb Raider" is not a timed exclusive and will not appear on other platforms. There are no plans for separate content to be produced for the other platforms.
With exclusives becoming a rare event and technical specs being almost identical (at least to the casual observer), downloadable content is looking to become a deciding factor in which version of a game gets picked up. Microsoft already has exclusive GTA IV content on the way... at some point in the vague future, and now Tomb Raider has followed suit. While I break out my tarot cards to help me make this decision post your thoughts below. How much of an impact does DLC have on your purchasing decisions?
What 360-Exclusive 'Tomb Raider' DLC Means For PS3, PC Owners [MTV Multiplayer]
Read the full press release of the announcement after the jump
EIDOS AND XBOX ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOADABLE CHAPTERS FOR TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLDFirst New Chapter Rolls Out in Time for the Holidays with
Game Demo Available in October
Redwood City, Calif. - October 6, 2008 - Eidos Interactive, creator of some of the world's leading video game properties, today announces an agreement with Microsoft to release two brand new downloadable chapters in the continuing Tomb Raider adventures of Lara Croft. Containing up to six hours of new gameplay and content for Tomb Raider: Underworld™, the chapters will be available exclusively on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®. A demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld will also be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace in October.
Offering entirely new content specifically designed to extend the Tomb Raider: Underworld experience, Tomb Raider: Underworld - Beneath the Ashes and Tomb Raider: Underworld - Lara's Shadow will deliver two very different single player gameplay experiences. Tomb Raider: Underworld - Beneath the Ashes takes place after the Underworld story has finished and will feature an incredible new environment to explore, additional secrets to unlock and different enemies to fight. Tomb Raider: Underworld - Lara's Shadow will introduce players to a new kind of playable character and create a unique Tomb Raider experience.
The first new chapter, Tomb Raider: Underworld - Beneath the Ashes, will be available for download exclusively on Xbox LIVE Marketplace this Christmas. Tomb Raider: Underworld - Lara's Shadow will follow in early 2009.
"We are constantly looking at ways to extend our franchises, whilst developing a deeper relationship with our players. The retail release of any videogame is just the start of the player experience, from there it all depends where you want to take the player in terms of ideas and innovation," said Sean Vesce, General Manager for Crystal Dynamics. . "With these additional chapters and the online reach of Xbox LIVE, we are able to deliver exclusive content to millions of gamers worldwide."
"We're thrilled that Xbox owners will be able to extend their Lara Croft adventures with exclusive Tomb Raider: Underworld episodes," said George Peckham, General Manager of Global Third Party Publishing for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "We look forward to continue working closely with our great publishing partners to deliver the most robust gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360."
Tomb Raider: Underworld will release on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, PlayStation®2, Nintendo DS, and PC Games for Windows platforms. With development led by Crystal Dynamics, developers of the recent Tomb Raider blockbusters, Tomb Raider: Underworld represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As the fearless adventurer Lara Croft, players explore, raid and solve the mysteries of exotic locations around the world, each designed in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice. Tomb Raider: Underworld is co-published by Eidos and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in North America and will be available in November. For more information, visit the official site at http://www.tombraider.com.
Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox LIVE connects more than 12 million members across 26 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, and movies as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games.
About Eidos
Eidos Interactive Ltd, creators of some of the world's leading videogame properties, consists of several development studios including Crystal Dynamics, IO Interactive, Beautiful Game Studios and Eidos Montreal, plus sales and distribution offices in Europe and the US. The Group has a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: Tomb Raider, Hitman, Deus Ex, Championship Manager and Just Cause. Eidos Interactive Ltd is part of SCi Entertainment Group Plc (SEG).
TheDoctor
Posted to Video Games on 7 October 2008
· Comments (3)
Other stuff like this: dlc, lara croft, microsoft, tomb raider underworld, xbox 360
Not much. As much as I loved Lara Croft back in the day(despite the mega-jubblies), I've been let down by the direction she's gone lately enough to not really care about exclusive DLC.
Also Xbox always gets a big "Meh..." outta me. There was only one game in the entire original Xbox line-up that I had any interest in(Panzer Dragoon Orta).
I don't make a fuss when games are exclusive, I understand that, but when DLC that impacts the story is exclusive it really pisses me off.
To answer your question, unfortunately, when story is involved I have to go that way.
I always go 360 anyway, unless it's either a PS3 exclusive or there's really good exclusive content.
I will for instance be getting the PS3 Eternal Sonata (unless the 360 gets the extras as DLC). I do have the 360 version, but I've not started it yet anyway.
I won't be getting the PS3 Bioshock though, because I already finished the game on the 360 and the extra challenge rooms just aren't sparking my interest all that much.