On the day of her stunning return to the world’s living rooms in the brand new video game blockbuster Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend, Lara has been recognised as ‘transcending the boundaries of videogames and becoming a recognisable figure in mainstream society’.

The past 10 years have seen Lara Croft sell over 28 million games worldwide, appear onstage with U2, appear on the cover of over 200 magazines and she has even famously taken the blame for another goalkeeping error by England goalkeeper and huge Lara fan David James. More recently, Angelina Jolie squeezed into the famous hot pants to play Lara in two hit Hollywood movies which has propelled the value of the Tomb Raider licensing industry to over $1 billion, with items from lunchboxes and soft drinks to motor vehicles receiving the Lara branding treatment.

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated videogame of recent years, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend is set to be a Number One smash hit around the world. Featuring the voice of Spooks actress Keeley Hawes as Lara, the game will feature on new hi-tech consoles PSP and Xbox 360 consoles alongside other videogame formats. Games critics have been lavish with their praise for the new title which has been over two years in the making and sees Lara make a dramatic return to form as she travels the world and revisits her tomb raiding roots.

“It is a mark of the phenomenal success of the Tomb Raider series that 10 years after the first game release, Lara Croft is more popular now than ever. It is fitting that she has been recognised for this remarkable achievement.” said Ian Livingstone OBE, the man responsible for discovering Lara back in 1996. “The new game Tomb Raider: Legend utilises the very latest capabilities in high definition gaming and Lara looks more stunning than ever before.”