Key Highlights:
- Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that Tomb Raider is not being developed for Nintendo Wii U.
- The studio did not want to create a straightforward port without designing specifically around the Wii U interface.
- Tomb Raider will launch for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 5 March 2013.
Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that Tomb Raider will not release on Nintendo Wii U when the reboot launches in March 2013.
Creative director Noah Hughes explained that the decision was tied to how Crystal Dynamics approached Nintendo’s hardware rather than a technical claim about the Wii U. The studio did not want to produce a straightforward port of the existing PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.
Hughes said Crystal Dynamics would want to tailor a Wii U version around the console’s distinctive interface if it committed to the platform. Development of Tomb Raider was already focused on delivering a consistent experience across its three confirmed platforms.
The decision leaves PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as the launch platforms for Lara Croft’s reboot. Crystal Dynamics has already confirmed that the game will launch on 5 March 2013.
Tomb Raider ultimately released on those three platforms as planned, and a Wii U version never followed. Square Enix later brought an enhanced Definitive Edition to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in January 2014, but Nintendo’s console remained unsupported.
