14 DAY TRIAL // The information associated with Rise of the Tomb Raider on Steam seems to confirm that players who want to experience the new Lara Croft adventure on the PC will be able to do so during the month of January 2016.
Unfortunately, the digital distribution service created by Valve does not offer a clear date for the title created by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, but presumably, more information might be provided in the coming few weeks.
The Steam confirmation is good news for PC gamers who want to see the new video game running on a platform that places no restrictions on the resolution or the frame rate, but the two companies have not yet endorsed any details about the launch.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is at the moment only offered on the Xbox One home console because of a timed exclusivity deal between Square Enix and Microsoft.
The game arrived on November 10 of this year and received mostly positive reviews from players, although it seems that competition from Fallout 4 and the fact that it was only offered on one platform meant that sales were not great.
No official numbers about the copies delivered worldwide have been revealed so far, but Crystal Dynamics has said that it is satisfied with the reception and the way the fan base reacted to the new adventures of Lara Croft and her quest to become a seasoned explorer.
The game managed to perform well digitally on the Xbox One during Christmas week.
The PC release has the potential to broaden the player base and will allow the developers to deliver future downloadable content packs to a wider audience.
Rise of the Tomb Raider will get DLC all through 2016
The game features the same core gameplay as the first title in the rebooted series but expands on the exploration elements and allows players to craft more items for their character, opening new ways to move through the tombs and other environments.
Crystal Dynamics has announced that it plans to add more story-based content in 2016, with the first new campaign featuring Baba Yaga, new environments to explore, and a major supernatural threat to deal with.
The studio is also working to expand the level of challenge with a new Endurange mode, and more cards that tweak how the gameplay works are also on the table.
Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix also intend to bring Rise of the Tomb Raider to the PlayStation 4 during the 2016 holiday season, presumably in a pack that features all previously offered DLC.
The two companies have also suggested that a new title featuring Lara Croft is already in development and will continue to expand both the gameplay and the universe of the franchise.
The limited impact of the Xbox One exclusivity deal is a good sign that this third installment in the series will arrive at the same time on all platforms, giving fans options when it comes to the best way to engage with the new adventures of the classic video game character.