10 Video Games That Killed Companies

Core Design started their career making independent games for the Amiga computer system, but they never achieved fame until they made the original Tomb Raider in 1996. With its innovative level design, variety and a story drowning in ancient mythology, Tomb Raider was a hit with critics and players alike.

The immense success of the game was something that Core Design wasn’t prepared for. Thus, they decided to put all of their eggs in one basket and focus on creating sequel after sequel every year afterwards. They aimed to put out at least one Tomb Raider game a year in order to ensure their success in the market.

Whilst this worked for the ps1 market, Core Design had a huge problem on their hands when they decided to make a Tomb Raider game for the ps2. One year just wasn’t enough time, yet they stuck to the schedule anyway. The result was Tomb Raider: Angel Of Darkness, a game so poor and broken that Eidos, Core Design’s parent company, took away the licence and gave it to Crystal Dynamics instead. Core Design was lost without its staple franchise and their assets were sold to Rebellion Developments, ending them for good.