| Lara Croft | |
|---|---|
| Tomb Raider character | |
 Lara Croft from Tomb Raider I-III Remastered in her signature outfit worn in many games | |
| First game | Tomb Raider (1996) |
| Created by | Toby Gard |
| Voiced by | Various
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| Motion capture |
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| Portrayed by |
Other:
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| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Dual pistols |
| Origin | London, England |
| Nationality | English |
Lara Croft is a character and the main protagonist of the video game franchise Tomb Raider. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around the world. Created by a team at British developer Core Design that included Toby Gard, the character first appeared in the video game Tomb Raider in 1996.
Core Design handled the initial development of the character and the series. Inspired by strong female icons, Gard designed Lara Croft to counter stereotypical female characters. The company modified the character for subsequent titles, which included graphical improvements and gameplay additions. American developer Crystal Dynamics took over the series after the 2003 sequel Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness was received poorly. The new developer rebooted the character along with the video game series by altering her physical proportions and giving her additional ways of interacting with game environments.
Lara Croft has further appeared in video game spin-offs, printed adaptations, a series of animated short films, feature films, and merchandise related to the series. The promotion of the character includes a brand of apparel and accessories, action figures, and model portrayals. She has been licensed for third-party promotion, including television and print advertisements, music-related appearances, and as a spokesmodel.
Critics consider Lara Croft a significant game character in popular culture. She holds six Guinness World Records, has a strong fan following, and is among the first video game characters to be successfully adapted to film.[4] Lara Croft is also considered a sex symbol, one of the earliest in the industry to achieve widespread attention. The character's influence in the industry has been a point of contention among critics; viewpoints range from a positive agent of change in video games to a negative role model for young girls.[5][6][7]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Behind The Voice Actors – Voice of Lara Croft". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ a b c "Original Three Lara Croft Voices Join Tomb Raider Reloaded Mobile Game". thegamer.com. thegamer. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ "Camilla Luddington for SOTTR". Twitter.com. Twitter. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Lara Croft picks up six Guinness world records". Telegraph. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ "Video World Is Smitten by a Gun-Toting, Tomb-Raiding Sex Symbol – New York Times". The New York Times. 19 January 1998. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "Boom raider". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ Kris Graft (1 September 2008). "Is Lara Croft Sexist? – Edge Magazine". Edge. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
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