重點資訊
The book The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997-2000 by Daryl Baxter explores the challenging development of Tomb Raider Chronicles, released in 2000. Following 1999's Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, the Core Design team expected to transition to next-gen PlayStation 2 development. However, publisher Eidos Interactive mandated a fifth PlayStation title to maintain financial momentum, despite significant resistance from the developers.
The team initially refused the project, citing burnout after years of intense work. Programmers and designers expressed frustration, with some describing the period as a dark, resigned time. To secure cooperation, Eidos executive Jeremy Heath-Smith reportedly negotiated financial incentives and promised the team could move to PlayStation 2 projects afterward. Staff members felt coerced into the agreement, which they described as a ransom-like situation.
Development of Chronicles was hampered by low morale and a nine-month deadline. Designers struggled to create a narrative that did not conflict with their original plans for the PlayStation 2 sequel, eventually settling on a retrospective format. Meanwhile, the team observed the separate PlayStation 2 project, which they criticized as over-scoped and technically flawed, leading to further disillusionment.
Ultimately, developers felt betrayed when the promised transition to the next-gen project failed to materialize as expected. The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997-2000, which documents these events, is available from October 30.
