Editing Tomb Raider (section)

==Reception==
Upon release, ''Tomb Raider'' became an unexpected success, reaching the top of sales charts and remaining for a time. It went on to sell over 7 million units worldwide.<ref name="dvd-doc"/><ref name="DigiHistory"/> ''Tomb Raider II'' was a greater commercial success, with debut sales higher than the first game and total worldwide sales of 8 million units.<ref name="GTretroA"/><ref name="DigiHistory"/> Despite varying critical receptions, series sales continued to be strong until the release of ''Chronicles'', which sold 1.5 million units.<ref name="DigiHistory"/> While ''The Angel of Darkness'' met with initial strong sales, it failed to meet expectations. Since the release of ''Legend'', the series has picked up in terms of sales, popularity,<ref name="DevSeriesSummery"/> and critical acclaim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keeley |first=Pete |date=2016-11-14 |title='Tomb Raider' Turns 20: The Complex Legacy of Lara Croft |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tomb-raider-turns-20-complex-legacy-lara-croft-946939/ |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> The 2013 [[Tomb Raider (2013 video game)|reboot]] sold 11 million units, becoming the most commercially successful ''Tomb Raider'' title to date.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 November 2017 |title=East meets West: Yosuke Matsuda on growing Square Enix's global empire |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-11-27-east-meets-west-yosuke-matsuda-on-growing-square-enixs-global-empire |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129232157/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-11-27-east-meets-west-yosuke-matsuda-on-growing-square-enixs-global-empire |archive-date=29 November 2017 |access-date=30 November 2017 |website=[[Eurogamer|GamesIndustry.biz]]}}</ref><ref name="TR2013sales"/> As of 2021, the series has sold over 85 million units worldwide.<ref name="sales21">{{Cite web |date=28 October 2021 |title=Rise of the Tomb Raider will be free for Prime members |url=https://www.vg247.com/rise-of-the-tomb-raider-pc-free-with-prime-november-1-14}}</ref> In addition to the games' success, the [[Lara Croft: Tomb Raider|2001 film adaptation]] grossed $275 million, making it the highest-grossing video game adaptation until being overtaken in 2010 by ''[[Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (film)|Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time]]''.<ref name="LaraBoxoffice"/> Additionally, the first ''Tomb Raider'' comic book issue was the best-selling comic book of 1999<ref>{{cite web |title=Monthly Comics Sales > 1999 |url=https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/1999.html |website=Comichron}}</ref> and the 2001 film adaptation had the biggest opening weekend (US$47.7m) for an action film with a female lead since ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' in 1986.<ref name="LaraBoxoffice"/>

Multiple video game journalists, including ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''{{'}}s Crispin Boyer in 1997 and [[Eurogamer]]'s Martyn Carroll in 2008, have cited the series as a pioneer in the medium, both laying the foundations for and popularising action-adventure and platforming games. Carrol credited the series for bringing video gaming out into the cultural mainstream.<ref name="DigiHistory"/><ref name="EGMtr2"/><ref name="EuroRetro"/><ref name="1UPlara"/> In a different article, Eurogamer cited ''The Angel of Darkness'' as a pioneer of mixing different video game genres.<ref name="EuroPost"/> The public's reactions to the series over the years have conversely had a profound effect upon the series' direction and identity, as noted in a 2008 review of the series' history by ''[[Develop (UK magazine)|Develop]]''.<ref name="DevSeriesSummery"/> In 2006, ''Tomb Raider'' was voted one of Britain's top 10 designs in the Great British Design Quest organised by the [[BBC]] and the [[Design Museum]]. The game appeared in a list of British design icons which included [[Concorde]], [[Mini]], [[World Wide Web]], ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'', [[Red telephone box|K2 telephone box]], [[Tube map|London tube map]], [[AEC Routemaster]] bus, and the [[Supermarine Spitfire]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Long list unveiled for national vote on public's favourite example of Great British Design|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/27/culture.shtml|agency=BBC|date=18 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Concorde voted the UK's top icon|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4814088.stm|agency=BBC|date=18 November 2016}}</ref> In 2020, ''Tomb Raider'' featured on a [[Great Britain commemorative stamps 2020–2029#2020|series of UK postage stamps]] issued by the [[Royal Mail]] to celebrate classic UK video games.<ref>{{cite news |title=From Worms to Tomb Raider: classic UK video games celebrated in new stamps |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/jan/07/worms-tomb-raider-classic-uk-video-games-stamps |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107131113/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/jan/07/worms-tomb-raider-classic-uk-video-games-stamps |archive-date=7 January 2020 |access-date=23 September 2022 |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51012498|title=Royal Mail stamps celebrate Tomb Raider and other classic video games|website=[[BBC]]|date=7 January 2020|accessdate=23 September 2022}}</ref>

The character of Lara Croft has similarly enjoyed popularity, standing out during her initial appearance in the male-dominated video game market, and continuing to stand out throughout the series' history.<ref name="DevSeriesSummery"/><ref name="dvd-doc"/><ref name="DigiHistory"/><ref name="EuroRetro"/><ref name="1UPlara"/><ref name="BBClara"/> After her debut in 1996, Lara Croft was featured on the front cover of British culture magazine ''[[The Face (magazine)|The Face]]'', a position previously held by real-life celebrities. She similarly was featured in Irish rock band [[U2]]'s [[PopMart Tour]].<ref name="dvd-doc"/><ref name="1UPlara"/> The character was inducted onto the [[Walk of Game]] in 2006,<ref name="WoGlara"/> and earned multiple mentions in the ''[[Guinness World Records]]'': she was recognised as the "most successful human video game heroine" in 2006, and earned six awards in 2010. As part of the latter honours, ''Guinness World Records'' editor Gaz Deaves said that the character "epitomises all that's great about video gaming".<ref name="GSguinness"/><ref name="TelGuinness"/> In an article for [[1UP.com]], Jeremy Parish said that Lara's sex appeal was the main draw for early fans, a facet Eidos exploited for marketing and attempted to emulate in other products. He cited other writers' statements that her popularity stemmed from player empathy with her ability to survive tough situations, alongside contrasting against weaker female characters such as [[Princess Peach]].<ref name="1UPlara"/> However, alongside this praise, she has divided opinion as to her character design and consequent sexuality: she is both hailed as an empowering figure for women and a negative role model due to her hyper-sexualized and unrealistic appearance.<ref name="dvd-doc"/>