Amazon Games has signed an agreement with Crystal Dynamics for its next Tomb Raider game.

The next adventure for Lara Croft will be a multi-format, single-player narrative game built using Unreal Engine 5. It is in early development. Amazon says it is working with the developer ‘from the ground up to bring their vision to life – from development all the way through publishing’.

“Crystal Dynamics has an extraordinary opportunity following our acquisition by Embracer to redefine what a publishing relationship is for Tomb Raider,” said studio head Scot Amos.

“Transformative is what we’re looking for, and with Amazon Games, we found a team that shares our creative vision, ambitions, and values for a Lara Croft universe across the spectrum of possibilities. They’re uniquely positioned to rewrite what publishing and development collaborations are, and we’re eager to forge this new path together, starting with building the biggest and best Tomb Raider game yet.”

It’s the biggest external signing yet for Amazon, which also operates three internal studios in Montreal, San Diego and Orange County (the developer of New World). The company worked with Smilegate RPG to release Lost Ark in February, and announced a publishing deal with Bandai Namco for its online RPG Blue Protocol during The Game Awards. Amazon is also publishing a new IP from developers Disruptive Games and Glowmade. Both studios are creating online multiplayer games.

Christoph Hartmann, VP of Amazon Games, added: “Amazon Games is committed to bringing players games of the highest quality, from the best developers, across all variety of platforms and genres, and we’re honored by the opportunity to work with this storied developer and franchise. Our team is incredibly excited about collaborating with the talented and visionary Crystal Dynamics team to bring the next chapter of Lara Croft’s saga to players around the world.”

Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider IP was one of the Western studios and brands that were sold by Square Enix to Embracer in May. The developer is currently supporting the development of Microsoft’s Perfect Dark reboot for Xbox, alongside The Initiative.