Tomb Raider: Catalyst vs ARC Raiders

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Northern India (Post-Cataclysm)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Window: 2027
• Unique Feature: The largest world map in the franchise's history, powered by Unreal Engine 5, featuring the experienced Lara Croft in the new Unified Timeline.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: PvPvE (Solo, Duo, or Trio Squads)
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Earth (Italy)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Date: 2025-10-30
• Unique Feature: A unique 'no one-shot kill' shield mechanic that disincentivizes camping, and a persistent progression system with no forced wipes.

• Squad Mates: The game is designed for squads of 1-3 players. Teammates can be revived (without a special tool), share loot, and must coordinate to survive against ARC and other player squads.
  Human (Player)
• Scrappy the Rooster: A pet companion located in the player's hub. Scrappy provides a steady, passive stream of basic materials after every raid, ensuring players always have a baseline of resources, even after multiple failed runs.
  Animal (Rooster)

• Ancient Artifacts: Revealed by the mythical cataclysm, these are the secrets Lara must protect from exploitation.
• Specialized Gadgets: Rumored to be discovered throughout the adventure, with some possibly infused with mythical powers.

• Recipes: Found topside, these are one of the most valuable items. Successfully extracting a recipe permanently unlocks the ability to craft that item at the Workshop.
• Keys: Rare items found topside. 'Key Room' keys unlock high-value loot rooms on the map. 'Raider Hatch Keys' unlock rare, silent extraction points.
• Codex Entries: Unlocked by progressing. This is a growing repository of lore about the ARC, the world, and its inhabitants.

• Adventure
• Archaeology
• Unified Timeline
• Cataclysm
• Ancient Secrets
• Rivalry
• Next-Gen

• Sci-Fi
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Extraction Shooter
• PvPvE
• Third-Person Shooter
• Robots
• Survival

• Firearms: Varies (Assault Rifles, SMGs, Snipers, Shotguns)
  A diverse arsenal of 19 different firearms across multiple categories. Weapons use one of four simplified ammo types (Light, Medium, Heavy, Shotgun) and can be customized with attachments. Examples include the 'Rattler' AR and 'Osprey' sniper rifle.
• Gadgets: Utility / Tactical
  A wide range of craftable items essential for survival and combat, including grenades, mines, door blockers, deployable barricades, and zip lines.

• Shields: The primary defensive item. Shields come in Light, Medium, and Heavy variants, providing a regenerating health pool. A fully-charged shield prevents a player from being one-shot. Shields degrade and must be repaired in the hub.
• Raider Augments: A special gear slot that allows players to fine-tune their build, affecting stats like backpack slots, weight limit, and the number of equippable weapons or quick-use items.

• Cosmetic Customization: Players can fully customize their Raider's appearance with a wide array of outfits, backpacks, attachments, and charms. Cosmetics are unlocked via quests, Raider Decks, or the in-game store. The Deluxe Edition includes the 'Astro' and 'Bruiser' bundles.

Progression is based on enhancing Lara's abilities and rich, customized adventure tech. Players will likely upgrade their traversal gear (wrist-mounted grappling tool) and combat skills as they delve into lost tombs and solve intricate puzzles.

Progression is persistent and does not wipe. Players earn XP to level up and gain skill points, which can be invested in three skill trees: Conditioning (stamina, breaching), Mobility (climbing, vaulting), and Survival (looting speed, stealth). A voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' allows players to reset their progress for exclusive rewards.

The game promises the largest Tomb Raider world yet. Lara will traverse an expansive and interconnected landscape in Northern India, densely packed with secrets, tombs, and outlandish terrains. The environment is designed to reward exploration at an increasing scale.

The game features a large, open-world map with four confirmed zones: Dam Battlegrounds (a large starting area with forests and a dam), Buried City (a metropolitan area covered in sand), Spaceport (a derelict industrial zone), and Blue Gate (a mountain area). A fifth map, Stella Montis, is rumored. Maps feature dynamic weather, time of day, and special events.

• Lara Croft: Playable Protagonist
  An experienced, confident, and fierce adventurer set years after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Voiced by Alix Wilton Regan.
• Global Rivals: Antagonists
  Notorious treasure hunters from around the world who descend upon Northern India to exploit the ancient power unleashed by the cataclysm.

• The Raider: Playable Character
  The player's customizable character. Players can choose their face, body type, and hair, and then define their playstyle through a classless skill tree system.
• Celeste: Key NPC
  The charismatic raider leader in the Speranza hub who is responsible for providing the main story quests.
• Tion Wyn: Key NPC
  The reclusive gun craftsman who runs the gun shop in Speranza.

• Main Campaign: Story
  A story-driven, potentially more linear adventure focused on preventing a global catastrophe and protecting an ancient secret in Northern India after a mythical cataclysm.
• Tomb Raiding: Puzzle
  Delving into lost tombs filled with intricate environmental puzzles, utilizing Lara's brilliance and customized tech.

• Topside Expeditions
  The main gameplay loop. Players deploy to one of the large open-world maps for a 30-minute session to scavenge for loot, complete quests for traders, and interact with dynamic events, with the ultimate goal of successfully extracting.
• World Boss Encounters
  A dynamic, high-risk MMO-style objective to defeat massive ARC bosses like 'The Queen' at the Harvester. This requires cooperation between multiple squads and yields 'insane' loot.

The core mode is a persistent PvPvE extraction shooter where players can queue up solo, in duos, or in trios. The map is populated by other players and AI-controlled ARC machines. Proximity chat is enabled, allowing for emergent alliances or betrayals. There is no in-match squadding.

The game is designed as a live service with a seasonal 'Raider Deck' (battle pass) that offers free and paid progression tracks. Developers have emphasized that monetization is cosmetic-only and not 'pay to win'. New maps, weapons, and features will be added over time based on community feedback.

• Q: What is Tomb Raider: Catalyst?
  A: It is the next major, single-player action-adventure game in the Tomb Raider franchise, developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Amazon Games.
• Q: Which game engine does it use?
  A: The game is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, allowing the developers to deliver the largest and most expansive adventure in the series' history.
• Q: When does it take place?
  A: It is set 'years after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld' (2008). The reboot trilogy (2013-2018) is officially canonized as Lara's origin story.
• Q: What new gear does Lara have?
  A: Lara has her iconic dual pistols and a new wrist-mounted grappling tool for enhanced traversal and combat.

• Q: What is ARC Raiders?
  A: ARC Raiders is a third-person, PvPvE extraction shooter from the developers of The Finals. Players (as 'Raiders') scavenge a post-apocalyptic Earth, fighting other players and a deadly army of AI robots called ARC, all while trying to extract with valuable loot.
• Q: Is ARC Raiders free-to-play?
  A: No. The game was originally announced as free-to-play but has shifted to a premium model. The Standard Edition costs $40.
• Q: Is it a 'one-shot' extraction shooter like Tarkov?
  A: No. A key feature is the shield system, which prevents players from being one-shot as long as their shield is charged. This encourages more movement and tactical, drawn-out fights rather than camping.
• Q: Are there server wipes?
  A: No, the developers have stated there are no forced wipes. All progression is permanent. There is a voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' that players can opt-in to for exclusive rewards.

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. Official hardware details have not been released, but the game is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, requiring next-generation console capabilities.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be heavily reliant on the mobile GPU's TGP and the CPU's ability to handle asset streaming and rendering in an expansive UE5 environment.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced rendering features of UE5 and the promised 'largest world yet.'
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's scope and use of UE5 will require a premium cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (e.g., i7/R7 equivalent) will be critical for handling asset streaming and physics in the expansive, interconnected environments.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for minimizing latency in action-adventure gameplay.
• Game Name: Tomb Raider: Catalyst

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. The minimum spec is based on developer suggestion (GTX 970), with other tiers extrapolated for a modern, highly optimized Unreal Engine 5 title.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the model's cooling and TGP. The game is noted for being 'hella optimized,' but a stable framerate is still crucial for PvPvE combat.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.
• Game Name: ARC Raiders

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced rendering features of UE5 and the promised 'largest world yet.'
• Cooling Thermals: The game's scope and use of UE5 will require a premium cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (e.g., i7/R7 equivalent) will be critical for handling asset streaming and physics in the expansive, interconnected environments.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for minimizing latency in action-adventure gameplay.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.