Crystal Dynamics and Prime Gaming are giving away Rise of the Tomb Raider for free for Amazon Prime members in November to celebrate Tomb Raider’s 25th anniversary. Tomb Raider first debuted on the Sega Saturn in October 1996, establishing Lara Croft as a video game icon for decades to come. Since then, spinoff games, blockbuster movies, and comic books have pushed the franchise to new heights, reaching a broad audience of dedicated fans. Since its initial release, the Tomb Raider video game series has sold over 85 million copies, and to celebrate its more than two-decade success, Crystal Dynamics has partnered with Amazon Prime to give away the game’s most recent iteration for free.
Prime Gaming is Amazon’s foray into the video game industry and has since established itself as a competitor in the market. Every month, Prime Gaming gives away virtual loot to its subscribers, including DLC, in-game content, and even free AAA game downloads. In July, Prime Gaming offered Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V for free, and in September, Amazon Prime members got first dibs on PlayStation 5 console restocks. In competing with other companies like Epic Games - which consistently provides free games to platform users – Amazon has partnered with huge studios to establish itself in the industry.
According to Square Enix, Amazon Prime members can claim a free copy of Rise of the Tomb Raider from November 1 to November 14. Crystal Dynamics and Prime Gaming are giving the PC version of the game for free to all Prime members, which can be claimed through Amazon’s gaming website. Prime members can claim the game by clicking on “Games with Prime” and clicking on the Rise of the Tomb Raider giveaway during the scheduled window.
In addition to the giveaway, Square Enix is celebrating Tomb Raider’s 25th anniversary by putting its Tomb Raider games and DLC on sale on various digital storefronts. On platforms including Steam, Humble Bundle, Green Man Gaming, GOG.com, the Square Enix Store, the Xbox Games Store, and the PlayStation Store, Tomb Raider products are on sale with discounts up to 89%.
The anniversary celebration enables those interested to hop into the Tomb Raider universe for a major discount, or free for Amazon Prime members. Rise of the Tomb Raider launched back in 2015, so it’s not necessarily a recent AAA title, however, Prime Gaming’s offering does cut down on the PC version’s price, which is currently averaging around $29.99 across multiple storefronts.
It’s likely that Tomb Raider’s 25th-anniversary celebration is intended to spark interest in the franchise in time for the 2022 release of the Tomb Raider Reloaded mobile game. The mobile installment will be the game’s newest title since Shadow of the Tomb Raider launched in 2018, so it’s likely Square Enix is invested in reinvigorating the franchise’s fanbase after what will be four long years waiting for another installment.
Source: Square Enix