Square Enix announces digital showcase featuring Life is Strange, Tomb Raider news

Square Enix will launch a new series of digital events with an online showcase featuring many of its upcoming products on Thursday, March 18.

Titled Square Enix Presents, the first event will commence at 10am PT/1pm ET/5pm GMT and last for approximately 40 minutes.

The event will include trailers and announcements for various titles including the world premiere of the next game in the Life is Strange series, “featuring an all-new protagonist wielding an exciting new power”.

Outriders, Marvel’s Avengers, Just Cause Mobile, Balan Wonderland, and new games from Square Enix Montreal (Hitman Go, Deus Ex Go) will also feature.

The event promises the latest news on this year’s Tomb Raider 25th anniversary celebrations too.

A listing on the Microsoft Store recently revealed plans for a Tomb Raider trilogy collection. It carried a March 18 release date, which could be a placeholder, although given it’s the same date as the first Square Enix Presents, the publisher may announce a surprise release during the event.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy is set to contain Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition in one package, according to the Xbox listing.

“With all the definitive edition content from each game, this Trilogy promises dozens of hours of breathtaking exploration, challenging puzzle-solving, and survival combat with Lara as she becomes the Tomb Raider she was destined to become,” it reads.

The games are listed as 4K Ultra HD and HDR10 compatible, but there’s no mention of specific next-gen console features such as improved graphics or new features.

On console, the Tomb Raider games are already playable on Xbox Series X and S via backwards compatibility, though none of the titles have received specific next-gen enhancement patches.

In a recent video outlining its plans for Tomb Raider’s 25th anniversary this year, developer Crystal Dynamics revealed that Lara Croft’s next video game adventure will “unify” the timelines in Core Design’s original Tomb Raider games and its own reboot trilogy.

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Launching alongside the next-gen versions of the game and its Hawkeye DLC

“We’ve got big ambitions for the future of Tomb Raider,” said Will Kerslake, Tomb Raider franchise game director at Crystal Dynamics. “Our origin trilogy back in 2013 told the story of Lara’s early days when she was forged into a survivor, became a hero and ultimately the Tomb Raider.

“But the classic games featured a seasoned and confident adventurer, travelling the world, unlocking its secrets, often standing alone against cataclysmic forces.

“We envision the future of Tomb Raider unfolding after these established adventures, telling stories that build upon the breadth of both Core Design’s and Crystal Dynamics’ games, working to unify these timelines.”