Special thanks to the WomenInGames.org Ambassador Program. For full interviews, stay tuned to http://www.innotechtoday.com■RhiannaPratchett
LeadWriterforCrystalDynamicsonTomb Raider(2013)
andRiseof theTombRaider(2015)
Howwereyouabletocreatea fresh,modernstory
aroundLaraCroft,sucha well-knowncharacter?
Thedevelopers,CrystalDynamics,hada fairlyblankslate
goingintothereboot,andwecouldpickandchoose
elementswewantedtokeep,enhance,ordoawaywithall
together.Weweren’tbeholdentoanyparticularelement.
Wedecidedtofocusthestoryona younger,greenerLara,
whoisonherfirstbigadventure,freshoutofcollege.She’s
facingthingsshe’sneverexperiencedbefore,whichmake
herquestionwhatsheknowsoftheworldandherself.
Eventually,sherealizesshehastorisetothechallengeif
shehasanyhopeofsurviving.Focusingona youngerLara
allowedustoshowthe“TombRaider”bubblingtothe
surface,andit alsomeantwecouldexplorethemes such as
thehumanvs.theheroandsacrificevs.loss.
Howdoyouseegamingevolvinginthenextdecade?
I thinkwe’llseeVR ,MR ,andARimprovinginleapsand
bounds,boththetechandthegamesthemselves.Hopefully
we’llseemorestudiosembracingepisodicgaminginthe
wayTelltaleGamesandDontNodhave,andcreatedifferent
waysofbringingstorytoplayers.Itwouldbegoodtoseea
newflourishinmiddle-grounddevelopmenttoo.One
whichembracesthefreedomandcreativityofindie
development,withtheproductionvaluesofAAA.
Doyouseeyourselfrepresented in the games that are
beingdevelopedtoday?
Certainlymygamingtastes,yes.Althoughtherearen’ttoo
many42-year-oldwomenstarringingames,whichisa
shame.Hopefully,aswestarttoembracediversitymore,we
willexpandit outtoage, background, and experience, as
well as other areas.56 INNOVATION & TECH TODAY|SUMMER 2019
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