Tomb Raider
Thirty years of Lara Croft – and five different versions of her.
Techbox, Thessaloniki
Five different Laras – and which one matters
It is the biggest version question in the entire shop.
Across thirty years, Lara Croft has been radically redesigned several times – and the versions do not look alike:
And now the new television series version joins them, with another actress again.
The practical advice: here there is no "safe" character that covers everything, because Lara herself changed.
Simply ask: "which era do they remember her from?" – or choose the logo, which has not changed.
The braid and the twin pistols
If you are shopping for someone who played in the late 1990s, there is an unmistakable tell.
The classic Lara has a long braid, a turquoise top and two pistols. It is the silhouette that became the iconography of an entire era of video games.
The modern version has none of those – she is more realistic, harder-edged, and her signature weapon is the bow.
What is coming – and it is unusually a lot
The last major game arrived in 2018. After several relatively quiet years, two new ones are in production at once:
- A remake of the original 1996 game, rebuilt with modern technology.
- An entirely new game set in northern India – described as the most expansive in the series to date.
And at the same time a new television series is filming, with a well-known actress in the role and a script from an award-winning creator. Production began in early 2026.
Release dates are not final – they have already shifted once.
Why the moment matters
It is a rare convergence: two new games and a new series, all at the same time.
In practice that means two things. First, demand will rise noticeably once they start arriving. Second, new products with a new Lara will appear – which makes the "which era?" question even more important than it already is.
For a collector: products featuring the classic version are the ones with steady value – they do not depend on how the new releases land.
What to choose
- Figures & Funko POP: check which version – classic with the braid, or modern with the bow.
- The logo: the only genuinely safe choice – it does not depend on an era.
- Posters & art prints: the exploration aesthetic works very well on a wall.
- Apparel: adult sizes – this franchise's audience is not a children's one.
- Replicas & collectibles: artefacts and symbols from the games.
- Mugs & desk items: affordable gifts.
The safest choice: something with the logo. It is the one element that has not changed in thirty years – and it works without knowing which Lara the recipient has in mind.
Age: teenagers and up. Action adventure with combat and peril – nothing extreme, but not a children's franchise.
Same audience: Resident Evil and The Last of Us.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Lara look different on every product?
- Because she has been radically redesigned several times across thirty years: the classic from the early games, the more realistic one from the recent games, and the film and new series versions. They do not look alike – ask "which era do they remember her from?"
- How do I spot the classic Lara?
- By the long braid, the turquoise top and the two pistols. The modern version has none of those – she is more realistic and her signature weapon is the bow.
- What is the safest gift?
- Something with the logo. It is the one element that has not changed in thirty years and it works without knowing which version the recipient has in mind.
- Is anything new coming?
- Unusually a lot. Two new games are in production – a remake of the original 1996 game and an entirely new one set in northern India – and a new television series is filming at the same time. Dates are not final and have already shifted once.
- What age is it for?
- Teenagers and up. Action adventure with combat and peril – nothing extreme, but not a children's franchise.
