Still has European launch on Friday but I don't fancy its chances. UK it might do ok but with so few Xbox ones out there in these parts..... 

What I can't understand is that CD didn't put a stipulation in the contract that if certain sales quotas were not met, they could then launch earlier on other platforms. 

What will they do, let the game sit there for a year to mature like fine wine? 

Nah, not at all, I just recently played TR1 on no less than tablet, and yes, controls are bit wierd as always, but games is still masterpiece (when I find time I'll buy TR2 as well, I think it released on Play Store recently).

Sure, not all Core's TRs were great, after all, TR suffered in the end from common virus called annualization. Indeed, CD did revive it, but that was mostly due to new engine and new controls, something that TR was long overdue.

CD's versions lost some of the original platforming in the process, but it was still core (or Core, however you like it) TR experience - Anniversary was very good (though not as good as TR1, some messed up levels compared to original and silly boss fights), Legend was decent (too much shooting for my taste), Underworld was quite good.

You can compare Core and CD's (pre-Reboot) games and find differences, as many fans have been doing since CD took over, but in the essence, they are TR games - exploration, puzzles, platforming, acrobatics (both in platforming and combat) with kick-ass Lara.

Reboot is simply not TR, and given reviews, neither is the new one.

Honestly, as one TR fan of the old to another, would you rather have another game like Underworld or this Rebooted mess that tries so desperatly to appeal to masses and forgets completely about its roots?

Still don't understand why they didn't release this game in September or at least early October to help build momentum leading into the holidays rather than having the game get lost in the holiday shuffle. If they couldn't make the deadline in time for a late summer / early fall release, then they should've held it back until Q1 2016.

Seeing argue with you on that one. I tend to love Tomb Raider games anyway.  Let me say this though--I'm playing Rise right now and I haven't shit a single person, yet.  It's got that old Tomb Raider feel (at least for the couple of hours I've logged in) and I think you'll love it. Lots of exploration, puzzles, and a feeling of isolation. I don't know how long it will last but I HIGHLY recommend you try it!

I'm just worried that, in this world of fast paced shooters, a slow paced game like this (so far) is going to turn off a lot of people. 

The old Tomb Raider started out good but limited by technology. It got popular and they milked it. If you play Anniversary you can see they remade the original game and were already starting to tweak it for modern times. Cinematic cut scenes, more emphasis on action, streamlined exploring, QTE's, etc. And this was before Uncharted. It's not as if Uncharted broke the mold for 3rd person shooter/action games.

I look at it like the old Resident Evil games. The archaic, limited controls possible back then kind of helped make the game what it was. With modern control schemes and better technology they had to shift away from that and starting with RE4 the franchise played way different and arguably better.

As for whether it's "wasted", how many copies was it going to sell if it released in September or October? Is it even ready to ship then? Is it worth losing the holiday sales to launch in 2016 closer to Uncharted? I think the game is different enough from Fallout that while they certainly compete for gamers dollars, there is enough of an audience that it won't matter when it was released. Furthermore we have no idea what the deal with MS includes.

Excellent post.

Fallout 3 was more popular than the last Tomb Raider. Also, Tomb Raider may not appeal to the same lost souls you generally see on forums. Look at Assassins Creed or CoD. Very popular IPs hated on most forums. Much like the last Tomb Raider, this will probably sell a couple million on Xbox platforms.

Look, we get it. Youre jelly you arent playing the new Tomb Raider. You'll get your chance in time. Blame Sony for not moneyhatting every game I guess.

Jelly.

I think it probably won't fulfill the purpose Microsoft had desired, I don't think it's been wasted though, I'm sure folks will pick it up in a year when it launches on PS4, and I'm sure folks who get it earlier on PC/XB1 will enjoy it. I'm personally bummed that SE chose to play the timed exclusivity deal with it, but w/e, as with the PS3 era, I'm sure Sony will force them to pony up extras when it comes to Playstation next year. This time they'll have a vastly larger chunk of the marketshare so they can basically make SE do whatever they want to make up for it.

I bought digital so mines doesn't count 😢