Tomb Raider Trading Cards Announced by Upper Deck
Lara Croft is coming to Upper Deck trading cards as part of a new licensing agreement between Upper Deck and Crystal Dynamics that will bring both trading cards and games based on the Tomb Raider franchise to collectors. The first release under the partnership will be Power Up Tomb Raider, a new trading card set celebrating 30 years of Tomb Raider and spanning the franchise from the original 1996 game through the upcoming Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. Upper Deck says the product is scheduled for release in spring 2027, with additional Tomb Raider trading card sets and games planned to follow.
Power Up is a returning Upper Deck brand that originally appeared in baseball and basketball during the mid-2000s. For its return, Upper Deck is repositioning Power Up as an entertainment-focused collecting brand, initially centered on gaming properties. The company says the Tomb Raider set will also use card technology as part of its rarity structure, with lower-numbered parallels and inserts incorporating more technology into their designs.
The base set will cover three distinct eras of Tomb Raider: Classic, Legend and Survivor. Each era will receive its own design scheme, giving the cards different visual treatments as the collection moves through Lara Croft’s history. Upper Deck says the set will highlight moments stretching from the franchise’s debut through its newest installment. Collectors will have several increasingly scarce parallels to chase. Legendary parallels will be numbered to 25, Mythic versions will be limited to 10 copies and Ultra Rare parallels will be true one-of-ones.
Upper Deck is also building several specialty inserts into Power Up Tomb Raider. Megawatt Masters will use die-cut card designs highlighting action from throughout the series, while Shock and Awe will consist of 25 different one-of-one metallic cards featuring key Tomb Raider characters. Sketch cards will also be included in the product, adding original artwork to the chase.
Ahead of the full set’s 2027 release, Upper Deck has already launched a special 30th anniversary Tomb Raider promotional card through Upper Deck e-Pack. The card celebrates three decades of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft with imagery spanning the life of the franchise. It is priced at $6.99 and will remain available through November 12 at 5:59 AM Pacific Time, or 8:59 AM Eastern Time. The promotional card is initially being offered digitally through e-Pack, but Upper Deck says physical copies will be printed and made available for shipping at a later date.
The Tomb Raider agreement is broader than the first Power Up release. Upper Deck says the deal with Crystal Dynamics covers trading cards and games based on the franchise, with additional products expected after Power Up Tomb Raider reaches collectors next spring.
“Tomb Raider is one of the most recognizable titles in all of gaming,” Travis Rhea, Upper Deck Director of Entertainment Brands, said in the announcement. “With the gravity and impact of that franchise, we can’t wait to bring it into the Upper Deck portfolio and begin creating products that celebrate and honor Tomb Raider the way it deserves.”
Power Up Tomb Raider is scheduled to arrive in spring 2027.