'Tomb Raider' 2013 Remake Highest-Selling Lara Croft Game, Sets Tone for 'Rise' Sequel

When Tomb Raider first came out for the Sega Saturn and original Sony PlayStation, it not only broke records but broke ground by having a female lead in Lara Croft who wasn't the stereotypical damsel in distress. That 1996 release sold more than 7 million copes, but it turns out it wasn't the most successful game in the series. As of this past weekend, the remake reached the 8.5 million mark and this news couldn't have come at a better time because the sequel Rise of the Tomb Raider will be out soon. The 2013 remake is the highest selling Lara Croft game and will set the tone for the sequel.

The record-breaking game hit shelves in March 2013 and the story featured a different take on the series. In it players controlled a younger Croft embarking on her first adventure after finding herself shipwrecked on a mysterious island. Naturally, there was a lot of danger and ass-kicking that only Croft could handle.

The 2013 remake's sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider, doesn't have an official release yet, but fans can expect to play it by the end of the year. The only downside to it is that Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have it as an Xbox exclusive. PlayStation 4 owners sadly won't be able to get their hands on Rise of the Tomb Raider.

#TombRaider Crosses the 8.5 Million Mark: https://t.co/MhwUORzW7F

— Tomb Raider (@tombraider) April 6, 2015

Tomb Raider's franchise creator Noah Hughes told the Toronto Sun that the new Rise will continue to make breakthroughs in video game gender dynamics.

"My hope is it suggests that a game starring a female hero can be just as successful as a game starring a male hero," Noah said. "When I hear people say there's not as many females in games because people won't buy them, I hope that maybe people know that's nonsense at this point."