From what I understand the forums are split in a way that I described. The first subsection is for main game entries, always was. This one here is for the content I already listed.

Personally, it's all the same to me, I don't understand the issue that certain people have with this, some are pretending like clicking on "Lara Croft and Tomb Raider on Android and iOS" is so much more difficult than clicking on any other link on this website.

Granted I do agree that it's far more interesting to see a thread popup in the "future of TR" section rather than mobile section.

We seriously need to talk about that damn previous thread button being directly under the reply button. Had a whole response typed up and gone instantly. :hea:

Anyways

The main points of what I remember typing was

Anniversary wouldn't have a section if it was just purely main entries, it would be a sub forum of legend or TR1

Issues about it being too soon and all that to move

And something else I can't remember. :p

But Anniversary is a main entry. It’s not a spin-off nor a mobile game.

No it's not, the main entries are Legend and Underworld.

Legend TR7

Anniversary TRA

Underworld TR8

2013 TR9

Rise TR10

Shadow TR11

??? TR12

As you can see, Anniversary is not a main game in the franchise. Its technically a remake of TR1 that happens to be cannon to Legend and Underworld, but as far as main entries go, Anniversary is not included.

my quick thought on SE's dualistic approach on the franchise

Wait a minute, since when is TRA not a part of the main series? That's news to me cause it was always listed as a main title game, a part of the LAU trilogy and literally a continuation of TRL story wise.

It's always been like that, you must not be active around here or the community in general. CD does not consider Anniversary a main entry. Those are how CD categorize the games. You can even google it or check the future section thread about the leaked source code for the next game.

Anniversary is not considered a part of the mainline games. It's a remake of TR1.

Underworld had Natla, but that was only because Eidos pushed for TRA to be included in the LAU trilogy.

Originally it was gonna be

Legend
Underworld
Ascension

Ascension originally was gonna be a sequel to Underworld with a much older Lara. But this was cancelled and was repurposed for Ascension with a younger Lara which was also cancelled and turned into 2013.

Anniversary was always just considered a remake.

By that logic RE2 and RE3 remakes are not main titles aswell.

Just because they are retelling of events (even with it’s differences from the original) doesn’t mean they’re not main titles.

TRA is not TR8 but it is a main title. It’s a TR1 remake.

“Oh but it’s not from the same timeline” one could argue. Yes, but neither Legend, Undereworld and the reboot games are, yet the number still rises.

Anniversary is not Guardian of Light or GO level of spinoff for sure.

I always considered it a main game in the sense that it supplements the story but I guess it's more of an "extension" of Legend. Kind of like how Final Fantasy X-2 or the VII Remake are mainline games but not mainline numbered games I guess?

Oh I am definitely not as active as you charmedangelin, I mostly stalk and follow certain fan passion projects/mods, rarely participate in threads where you blink and miss a dozen new posts :D

Meh, even on the wiki Anniversary is listed as mainline entry and in several other places I checked. I personally consider it a mainline game regardless of what they may or may not have planned internally.