‘Tomb Raider’ Celebrates its 23rd Anniversary
A selection of fan art, cosplay photos, and commemorative tweets celebrating 23 years of Tomb Raider
Can you believe it’s been 23 years since Lara Croft made her debut in a little game called Tomb Raider? Over two decades later, this iconic heroine shows no real signs of slowing down and continues to entertain and inspire gamers, artists, writers, and cosplayers across the world. She may only play for sport but what a legacy she is leaving behind!
Many fans have noticed that the official Tomb Raider social media accounts didn’t acknowledge the game’s anniversary this year and while this was a little disappointing, I don’t want to devote too much time or energy criticising their decision here or theorising about why this anniversary was overlooked. Fans have kept the franchise alive during its darkest times and will continue to do as long as they feel a personal connection with its heroine and her many adventures, so let’s celebrate *that* instead.
Here’s a selection of fan art, cosplay photos, birthday wishes, and other commemorative tweets that were posted on Twitter on Tomb Raider’s 23rd anniversary.
𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 "𝑻𝒐𝒎𝒃 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓" 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒐𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 "𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒕" 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇! 👑
𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒆𝒗… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓪 𝓒𝓻𝓸𝓯𝓽 🎃🍭🦇 (@SerenaCroft) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd birthday to the game that started it all, Tomb Raider (1996)! It's been one hell of a ride and I've made… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Kelly@Tomb Raider Horizons (@TRHorizons) October 25, 2019
Today marks Tomb Raider's 23rd anniversary! 🎉 Over the years we've seen the heroine cross a number of mediums, step… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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🎃 PositivelyTombRaider 🎃 (@PositivelyTR) October 25, 2019
Oh my goodness my baby turns 23 today 😭😭😫😫🥰🥰
Happy Anniversary to the franchise that mostly likely changed my life… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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AJ (@cupofdragons) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd Birthday #TombRaider Thank you for getting me into gaming, strong female characters and for also introdu… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Sinead 🧛♀️🦇🔮 (@SineadCroft1) October 25, 2019
She continues to inspire me throughout my whole life. Some may try to narrow her down to eye candy, but she gave me… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Raymond Croft (@rayXcroft) October 26, 2019
¡#TombRaider cumple 23 años! 🎂
La franquicia protagonizada por #LaraCroft está de celebración.
Hace ya 23 años… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Alex's T🎃mb Raider Tweets (@AlexsTRBlog) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd anniversary to Tomb Raider! Lara’s very first awesome adventure hit consoles OTD 1996 and it’s no exagge… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Chris 🎬 (@illucifer) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd birthday of the start of something amazing!
The first Tomb Raider game ever was released, becoming a hu… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Vasco Silva (@VascoSilva92) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd birthday to the game that literally changed my life forever. I am so grateful to have had the chance to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Nicolas Croft (@nicolascroft) October 25, 2019
Happy Birthday to one of my favorite franchises ever!
#TombRaider 1 was released 23(!) years ago, today! 🎉 https://t.co/8Wgg7QTEWC
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Roel Veldhuyzen (@RoelVeldhuyzen) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd anniversary to THIS LADY RIGHT HERE #tombraider #LaraCroft https://t.co/MCZwbq3g7Y
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Jar Cup 🎃 (@jar_cup) October 25, 2019
TOMB RAIDER HAS EXISTED FOR 23 YEARS ISN’T THAT WILD?? https://t.co/74DDkuh8ze
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Floof and Sport (@tomb_raiderers) October 25, 2019
The iconic queen 👑
The stained glass TR drawing project is done! We're celebrating 23 years of Tomb Raider this wee… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Taryn Platt (@21guns_novacain) October 24, 2019
I know I’m late but it wouldn’t be right for me to not acknowledge TR’s 23rd anniversary. If this game never existe… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Lori Scudder-Walker (@Lori_en) October 26, 2019
"A scar means I survived."
Happy Anniversary @TombRaider! This may not be of classic #LaraCroft, but here's a new… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Crofty Cosplay (@CroftyCosplay) October 25, 2019
Bringing this one back to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the original Tomb Raider. 🥰
(Also, I'll never forget… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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🦇 𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖊𝖆🦇 (@astraeacaron) October 25, 2019
FR | La saga Tomb Raider fête aujourd'hui ses 23 ans. Nous souhaitons un Bon Anniversaire...
EN | The Tomb Raider… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Lara Croft France 🐉 (@LaraCroftFrance) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd anniversary to Tomb Raider and Lara Croft ;.; Forever thankful for this series/character and some of the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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connor 💀 (@HylianRaider) October 25, 2019
23 years ago today the gaming landscape was changed forever. Happy birthday, #TombRaider. https://t.co/LmJPQNA93j
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Iván (@iammrivo) October 25, 2019
It’s Lara Croft Day! Happy 23rd anniversary to my hero!
Ft. Baby Saylum cosplaying https://t.co/5uhgfZ7UAH
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Saylum (@saylumcroft) October 26, 2019
23 years ago, Lara Croft burst into the gaming scene with dual pistols blazing. I will never forget watching the in… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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🎃 ZombiEvan 🌖 (@theegingerbeard) October 26, 2019
Happy birthday girlie!! https://t.co/I8fkCltXC8
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kyle (@kyleliddell22) October 25, 2019
Happy birthday to one of the best games of all time!
#TombRaider23rdAnniversary #HappyBirthday
#FanArtFriday… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Maciej Slizewski (@M_Slizewski) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd Anniversary to the queen of all gaming Lara Croft!
#laracroft #tombraider #anniversary https://t.co/IeG9Opu39W
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DJ Croft (@DJCroft_) October 25, 2019
23 yrs. ago, for me the greatest adventurer was born...Lara Croft. For me it is the pinnacle in gaming of this genr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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CardiacDrop™ (@CardiacDrop) October 25, 2019
Happy 23rd anniversary to the game that started it all and to everyone involved in what was a game changer within t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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THE CROFT TOMB (@thecrofttomb) October 25, 2019
23 years for #tombraider! What an incredible series that inspired me to do so many things. Will forever have fond m… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Katie Fleming (@Katie_Fleming) October 26, 2019
Happy 23d anniversary to the most iconic video game heroine of all time, Core Design would have never thought this… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Eliana♥️ (@FoxyLollyy) October 26, 2019
✨
تحتفل اليوم تومب رايدر بالذكرى ال23 للسلسلة ، ماهي ذكرياتكم المفضلة مع اول جزء ؟
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Tomb Raider celebrates its 23r… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Tomb Raider Arabia (@TombRaidrArabia) October 25, 2019
Happy Lara Croft Day! 23 years ago I was introduced to this game that changed my life ❤
#TombRaider… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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GeckoKid 🏳️🌈 (@GeckoKid_WOW) October 26, 2019
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Fans weren’t the only ones celebrating this milestone. Some of the team who were responsible for creating this groundbreaking game chimed in to celebrate Lara’s ongoing success and share some details about the game’s development.
Wow. 23 Years. Still such an honour to be the original voice of such an icon and to be a small part of such an incr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Shelley Blond (@BlondShelley) October 25, 2019
There was also Vicky Arnold who transformed the script and helped hone Lara's character. She wasn't fulltime on the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Paul Douglas (@cnhyv) October 25, 2019
The latino character was a short-lived creative dead-end for us.
There were a few drawings from Toby that inspired… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Paul Douglas (@cnhyv) October 26, 2019
#TombRaider Released 23 years ago today, such a great project for me to work on. Every #indiedev with a dream can a… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Troy Horton (Finder of Great Games & Developers) (@troylkhorton) October 25, 2019
So here’s to Lara’s continued success! Long may she grace our screens and continue to inspire us in our own personal endeavours.
Note: If I have missed your tweet, please don’t take it personally; there were just too many to highlight here! Feel free get in touch with me on Twitter (@TRHorizons) and I’ll RT your tweet.
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