Tomb Raider: Underworld To Get Two Xbox 360-Exclusive DLC Episodes

Eidos' upcoming Tomb Raider: Underworld will receive two Xbox 360-exclusive downloadable "chapters" through a new agreement with Microsoft, the companies announced today. The game will also have a demo on Xbox Live Marketplace in October. Eidos says the two single-player episodes, titled will add up to six hours of new gameplay and content for Tomb Raider: Underworld. The first episode, Beneath the Ashes, is set after the conclusion of Underworld's story and adds a new environment, unlockable secrets and different enemies. Details are scant on the second installment, titled Lara's Shadow, but it promises "a new kind of playable character" and "a unique Tomb Raider experience." Tomb Raider: Underworld itself releases at retail on November 18th in North America on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, DS and PS2. The next-gen console versions are developed by Crystal Dynamics; Buzz Monkey Software does the Wii and PS2 versions, and Santa Cruz Games does the DS edition. Warner Bros. is co-publishing with Eidos. The first exclusive episode, Beneath the Ashes, will debut on Xbox Live Marketplace "this Christmas," with the second episode to follow in early 2009. "We are constantly looking at ways to extend our franchises, whilst developing a deeper relationship with our players," says Crystal Dynamics general manager Sean Vesce. "The retail release of any video game is just the start of the player experience -- from there, it all depends where you want to take the player in terms of ideas and innovation." "With these additional chapters and the online reach of Xbox Live, we are able to deliver exclusive content to millions of gamers worldwide." Adds Microsoft Global Third Party Publishing general manager George Peckham, "We look forward to continue working closely with our great publishing partners to deliver the most robust gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360."