/vr/ - Retro Games

>>6253458
She was supposed to be Latina named Laura Cruz.
Then they did a brainstorm about it and someone (supposedly Gavin Rummery) said "hey, wouldn't the game be easier due to VA to make if she's British?". So she ended up being lady Lara Croft, of the Surrey's Crofts, but kept the brownish design. Got toned down from 3rd game onward, but it also added to the mistique anyway. Had a rebound of it in Legend, too, since Toby Gard was """"consulting"""" and made an off-hand remark about Lara being supposed to be Latina, only this time he was working with Americans and their lead designer said "That's brilliant!". So they had to remind the guy that nope, we can't exactly make new Tomb Raider with Laura Cruz, it has to be Lara Croft, the boring white English lady.
Aside of that, when there was a first big documentry did on the game and the character, they've talked with Gard in some bar about the design and character concept. So he put out a napkin and draw them a not-exactly-Lara, pointing out various elements of the design as he went with the sketch, explaining why they help with showing that hey, we've got an adventuring type that doesn't shy from violence, along with pointing out how making her look more exotic adds to the appeal.

tl;dr she was supposed to be different character entirely and things got weird during production