A fan-made Tomb Raider project is getting attention online after recent reports confirmed that Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition is planned for release in May 2026. The project is credited to Delca and Trxye, and it is being described as a 2.5D side-scrolling reimagining of classic Lara Croft adventures rather than an official new Tomb Raider game from Crystal Dynamics.
The latest wave of coverage started after Delca shared that the project was complete and posted a trailer showing gameplay and features. Time Extension’s report quotes that announcement directly and says the game is expected to be released for free through TRCustoms, a long-running Tomb Raider fan site focused on custom levels and community-made projects.
What Is Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition
Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition is a fan project that reworks classic Tomb Raider gameplay into a side-on format. Reports say players will still be doing the things people expect from Tomb Raider, including exploring, swimming, solving puzzle, avoiding hazards, and fighting enemies, but the action is presented from a 2.5D side-scrolling perspective instead of the usual third-person view.
Current reporting also says the project includes 11 reimagined levels, though one detail needs to be handled carefully. DSOGaming says the game lets players experience the entire first Tomb Raider from a new perspective, while Time Extension says Lara explores 11 familiar locations from the original trilogy, with places such as Peru, Greece, Venice, and the Maria Doria mentioned in coverage. The safest way to frame it is that this is a fan-made reinterpretation of classic-era Tomb Raider built around 11 reworked levels and locations.
How It Changes the Classic Tomb Raider
The project’s main idea is clear from its title. Instead of sticking to the traditional 3D camera used in the original PlayStation-era games, it rebuilds Tomb Raider as a side-scroller while keeping the series’ core identity intact. This means platforming, traps, puzzles, and Lara Croft’s movement are still central, but the presentation is much closer to a 2.5D action-platformer.
This is also not a brand-new idea that appeared overnight. Reports say that Delca had been sharing footage of the project as far back as 2022, and TRCustoms already hosts a separate Tomb Raider I 2D Prototype page with a listed release date of November 30, 2024. That does not mean the prototype and the final Side-Scroller Edition are the same release, but it does show the project has been developing in public for quite some time.
When Will It Release
The current release window is May 2026, but there is still no exact public release date within that month. Delca’s announcement gives May 2026 as the plan, and that is the most solid timing available right now.
There is also no confirmed Steam page, console listing, or commercial store page attached to the project at the moment. Everything publicly reported so far points to a free fan release rather than a standard store launch.
Where It Will Be Available
The project is expected to be released through TRCustoms, which hosts Tomb Raider fan levels and community projects. Some secondary coverage has described the game as a PC-only release, but the most defensible reporting angle is simply that it is planned as a free TRCustoms release unless the creators announce something more specific later.
This is important because it clearly places the game inside the fan community rather than alongside official Tomb Raider products. This is a community-made release path, not a publisher-backed one.
Is It Official?
Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition is not an official Tomb Raider release. The official Tomb Raider site is currently focused on official products and announcements, such as Tomb Raider I-VI Remastered and other franchise news, but this side-scroller project does not appear there as an official game.
For now, the project stands out as a fan-made take on Tomb Raider that is drawing attention for trying something different with a familiar formula. More details will likely become clearer once the final release is made available.
