Lara Croft’s age changes depending on the Tomb Raider timeline. She was born in 1968 in the Classic timeline, 1977 in the Legend timeline, and 1992 in the Survivor timeline.
This guide breaks down her age in each major game and explains why her birth year changes.
Classic Timeline — Born February 14, 1968
The Classic timeline covers the original Tomb Raider games released from 1996 to 2003.
Lara was born on February 14, 1968.
She was 21 years old when she survived the Himalayas plane crash.
The crash became a major turning point in her life.
Lara spent two weeks making her way back to civilization after the crash.
Afterward, she turned away from her wealthy lifestyle and became an adventurer.
Lara’s Age in the Classic Games
| Game or Event | Year | Lara’s Age |
|---|---|---|
| Chronicles: Ireland flashback | ~1982 | 14 |
| Himalayas plane crash | 1989 | 21 |
| Chronicles: Rome | 1989 | 21 |
| Chronicles: Russia | 1995 | — |
| Tomb Raider | 1996 | 28 |
| Tomb Raider II | 1997 | 29 |
| Tomb Raider III | 1998 | 30 |
| The Last Revelation | 1999 | 31 |
| Angel of Darkness | 2003 | 33–34 |
Lara is 28 years old in the original Tomb Raider.
She turns 29 in Tomb Raider II.
She is 30 in Tomb Raider III.
She is 31 in The Last Revelation.
By Angel of Darkness, Lara is around 33 to 34 years old.
Legend Timeline — Born February 14, 1977
The Legend timeline is also known as the LAU timeline.
It includes Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, and Tomb Raider: Underworld.
Lara was born on February 14, 1977.
This version of Lara experiences a different tragedy during childhood.
Her mother disappears after a plane crash when Lara is around 9 years old.
Lara’s father later becomes obsessed with finding answers about her disappearance.
Her father dies when Lara is around 18.
These events help shape her decision to become an adventurer.
Lara’s Age in the Legend Games
| Game or Event | Year | Lara’s Age |
|---|---|---|
| Himalayas plane crash | ~1986 | 9 |
| Father’s death | ~1995 | 18 |
| Peru expedition flashback | ~1995 | 18 |
| Tomb Raider: Legend | 2006 | 29 |
| Tomb Raider: Anniversary | 2007 | 29 |
| Tomb Raider: Underworld | 2008 | ~32 |
Lara is around 29 years old during Tomb Raider: Legend.
She is also around 29 during Tomb Raider: Anniversary.
Her age in Underworld is commonly calculated at around 32.
The exact ages for each game are not always directly stated.
Some dates also depend on how the events are placed within the timeline.
Survivor Timeline — Born February 14, 1992
The Survivor timeline began with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot.
Lara was born on February 14, 1992.
This version presents Lara before she becomes the experienced adventurer seen in the older games.
She starts the 2013 game as a young archaeologist.
Lara is 21 years old during Tomb Raider.
She becomes 23 during Rise of the Tomb Raider.
She is 26 during Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
Lara’s Age in the Survivor Games
| Game or Event | Year | Lara’s Age |
|---|---|---|
| Childhood events | — | Pre-teen |
| Father’s death | Before 2013 | Teenager |
| Tomb Raider | 2013 | 21 |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | 2015 | 23 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 2018 | 26 |
| Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft | Later period | Early-to-mid 30s |
The Survivor trilogy follows Lara’s transformation from an inexperienced explorer into a hardened adventurer.
Her age also increases naturally across the three games.
The Netflix series continues Lara’s story after the Survivor trilogy.
How Old Is Lara Croft in Each Timeline?
Lara’s age depends on which version of the character you mean.
Classic Lara: Born in 1968.
She is 28 in the original Tomb Raider.
Legend Lara: Born in 1977.
She is around 29 in Tomb Raider: Legend.
Survivor Lara: Born in 1992.
She is 21 in the 2013 Tomb Raider.
The three versions are separate continuities.
Their ages should not be combined into one timeline.
Why Does Lara Croft’s Age Keep Changing?
Lara’s age changes because Tomb Raider has been rebooted more than once.
Each reboot creates a new version of her origin story.
The developers can therefore give Lara a different birth year.
Her childhood and major life events can also be changed.
The Survivor timeline, for example, shows a much younger Lara at the beginning of her career.
The Classic games instead begin with Lara already established as an experienced adventurer.
Is Lara Croft’s Age Official?
Some Lara Croft ages are directly supported by official material.
Other ages are calculated from her birthdate and the year in which a game takes place.
This is particularly important for the Legend timeline.
The exact age can sometimes vary depending on how the game’s events are dated.
For that reason, ages marked as approximate should not be treated as exact official figures.
Quick Answer
Lara Croft does not have one age across all Tomb Raider games.
She was born in 1968 in the Classic timeline.
She was born in 1977 in the Legend timeline.
She was born in 1992 in the Survivor timeline.
Her age therefore resets whenever the series moves to a new continuity.