Eidos
has confirmed Toby Gard - the original architect
behind video-game heroine Lara Croft - will join
Crystal Dynamics and spearhead the Tomb Raider
7 creative team. In a statement to www.tombraiderchronicles.com
this morning, Eidos said: "Toby will complement
the existing talented team creating the next Tomb
Raider title. As the creator of the Lara Croft
character, he brings a unique perspective to the
development process."
The statement
continues: "The Tomb Raider team is drawing upon
a great deal of research, consumer and editorial
feedback, and game development talent to build
a title they'll be proud of.. and one you'll want
to play."
Gard,
responsible for creating Britain's most explosive
digital export to date while serving with Derbyshire-based
studio Core Design in 1995, abandoned his role
as lead designer after a series of creative differences
shortly after London-based publisher Eidos acquired
Core Design following a series of takeovers and
mergers. Gard went on to form Confounding Factor
and spent years developing Galleon, a swashbuckling
high-seas adventure game that finally shipped
to retailers earlier this week.
Toby
Gard's new role will be "senior designer" at Eidos-owned
Crystal Dynamics, the Californian-based studio
charged with rejuvenating the Tomb Raider video-game
franchise.
