Crystal Dynamics decided to preserve all original content in Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered but is warning about stereotypes.
In a statement to IGN, Crystal Dynamics explained it has decided to keep these racial and ethnic stereotypes in the remaster in the “hopes that we may acknowledge its harmful impact and learn from it.”
This is incredibly important for developers and artists to do, as it maintains the integrity of the work and its timeline. Going back and censoring old forms of art in any kind of media takes away from its true nature. Rather than remove offensive material, Crystal Dynamics is setting a great example–instead, making a public acknowledgment of the work’s period in history.
The full statement reads: “The games in this collection contain offensive depictions of people and cultures rooted in racial and ethnic prejudices. These stereotypes are deeply harmful, inexcusable, and do not align with our values at Crystal Dynamics…Rather than removing this content, we have chosen to present it here in its original form, unaltered, in the hopes that we may acknowledge its harmful impact and learn from it.”
Unfortunately, other developers have taken different directions on past material that is now considered controversial. For example, the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition redid multiple camera shots featuring human Cerberus agent Miranda Lawson, as the excess focus on her butt evidently didn’t sit well with the staff. Fortunately, there is a mod to restore what was lost.
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.