Video game publisher Square Enix officially announces the release date of Rise of the Tomb Raider's PlayStation 4 version and confirms its support for PlayStation VR.

Not long from now, Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox One timed-exclusivity contract is set to end, as Square Enix has revealed that the game will finally be released for the PlayStation 4 on October 11 in a new 20 Year Celebration edition. Additionally, the publisher has revealed that the forthcoming PS4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider will have "a completely new story chapter entitled Blood Ties."

Not only will Rise of the Tomb Raider's 20 Year Celebration edition on PS4 have an additional story chapter, but also the Blood Ties portion will have PlayStation VR support. Plus, the Crystal Dynamics-developed action-adventure title is set to contain new co-op Endurance gameplay, extra outfits, weapons, Expedition Cards, a limited edition art book, as well as all of the game's previously released DLC.

Those Rise of the Tomb Raider fans on PC and Xbox One who own the title's Season Pass will be privy to all of the aforementioned content, except for the VR support. With that in mind, since the PlayStation 4 port will have all of the extra assets created for the new version of the game, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix won't be providing it with its own Season Pass.

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After Square Enix's reveal of Rise of the Tomb Raider's PlayStation 4 release date, Crystal Dynamics' co-head, Scot Amos, provided fans with a detailed rundown of content for the 20 Year Celebration edition on PS4, and thanked them for playing along with the franchise for so long. A portion of the studio executive's statement on the matter can be found below.

"[Crystal Dynamics] is celebrating with all Tomb Raider fans, thanking them for being on Lara's 20 year journey with us. The team has packed in surprises, new story, and the top-requested special features into this 20 Year Celebration edition.

"Blood Ties, a new premium DLC, beckons players to explore Croft Manor in a new story mode; then defend it against a zombie invasion in Lara's Nightmare. When Lara's uncle contests ownership of the Manor, Lara must explore the estate to find proof that she is the rightful heir, or lose her birthright and father's secrets for good.

"Players can then test their zombie-killing skills in the replayable Lara's Nightmare mode: a haunted Croft Manor where players have new challenges and must rid the Manor of an evil presence."

Regarding Rise of the Tomb Raider's PlayStation VR support on PS4, developers are allowing players to use it as a means to "unlock the mysteries of Croft Manor in first-person, while the new co-op Endurance mode lets fans team-up in the wilderness." Two players will be partnered to attempt and make it through the mode by surviving the day's harsh elements and the glut of enemies at night, while also managing resources such as food and fuel by way of hunting, collecting, and crafting.

Furthermore, Rise of the Tomb Raider's 20 Year Celebration edition will have a re-imagined version of the cold weather outfit and Hailstorm pistol Lara Croft used in Tomb Raider 3 that can be found in the Endurance mode. Also, a classic Lara card pack allows fans to play as different iterations of the character from the franchise's history, including her blocky, angular, and polygonal style from the 1996 original.

Last, but not least, the game will introduce a new Extreme Survivor difficulty that increases the intensity level of Survivor, removes checkpoints, and only gives players the option to save the game by getting together enough resources to light campfires. Taking all of this into consideration, with Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox One version being hailed by many as one of the top 10 best video games of 2015, there's a good chance that a lot of PlayStation 4 fans will go on to rank it highly among their gaming experiences this year, especially with all that's being offered in the 20 Year Celebration edition.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is scheduled for release on October 11, 2016 for PlayStation 4, and it is currently available for PC and Xbox One.

Source: GameSpot