CANCELLED TOMB RAIDER VR PROJECT INCLUDED EARLY GAMEPLAY AND CONCEPT ART
[ 9 July 2026 ]
A standalone Tomb Raider VR game was in development at Vertigo Studios before being cancelled in January 2026, according to information published by MP1st. Internally known as Project U, the game was reportedly in development from at least November 2024 and was being built in Unreal Engine 5 for Meta Quest 3, PlayStation VR2 and PC.
MP1st reports that more than 50 developers worked on the project and that it reached a vertical slice milestone before being cancelled as part of a structural reorganisation. The cancellation reportedly occurred before the recent closure of Vertigo Studios' Amsterdam division. Following the studio's closure, developers who worked on the project have shared development materials online, including concept art, character and environment models, and early gameplay footage.
The footage and artwork suggest the game would have adapted classic Tomb Raider mechanics for virtual reality, with Lara Croft exploring ancient temples and underground locations inspired by Mesopotamian and Babylonian cultures. Traversal mechanics shown include rock climbing, underwater climbing and ziplining.
Enemies shown in the footage include skeletons with shields, bats, venomous scorpions and hyenas. Concept art also depicts infected skeletons and hyenas with plant-like growths and blue weak points, as well as mercenaries wearing tactical desert clothing. The shared material also includes early work on a boss encounter featuring a giant guardian statue. Concept art additionally shows a supporting character named Tarik, references to Amytis, the Queen of Babylon, and collectible relics depicting Mesopotamian deities.
MP1st's original report includes additional images and early gameplay footage from the cancelled project, which have been archived in the Artwork from Cancelled Lara Croft and Tomb Raider Games, Films and TV Shows section.
