Tomb Raider Arrives to Buy on xCloud Before Avowed — What’s Going On?

Before you ask, no, this isn’t Avowed — it’s Tomb Raider IV – VI Remastered. But that’s exactly why people are scratching their heads. How is Lara Croft making it to xCloud first while Avowed, an Xbox-owned title, is playable on GeForce NOW but missing from Xbox’s own cloud service?

Classic Tomb Raider Titles, Fully Remastered

The Tomb Raider IV – VI Remastered collection brings three of Lara Croft’s classic adventures back with modern updates:

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation: Lara explores ancient Egyptian tombs, dodging traps and solving puzzles.
Tomb Raider: Chronicles: A series of untold stories following Lara’s past exploits.
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness: A darker, more narrative-driven chapter with mystery and betrayal.

The remastered editions include improved graphics, updated controls, and quality-of-life enhancements. Perfect for both returning fans and new players.

Available to Buy and Stream on xCloud

Tomb Raider IV – VI Remastered is now available for purchase via the Xbox Store and can be streamed immediately on xCloud. Unlike Game Pass titles, you’ll need to buy these games to play them, but once purchased, they are fully playable via the cloud without downloads.

The Real Question: Where Is Avowed?

While it’s great to see Tomb Raider arrive on xCloud, it raises a bigger question: Where is Avowed? Despite being an Xbox-published game from Obsidian Entertainment, Avowed is currently playable on GeForce NOW in early access, but not on xCloud. This is surprising, considering xCloud is Xbox’s own cloud gaming service.

What’s Going On With Xbox Cloud Gaming?

The situation highlights an ongoing issue with Xbox Cloud Gaming: inconsistent availability of first-party titles. While GeForce NOW often adds major titles at launch or during early access, xCloud has been slower, even with Xbox-owned games.

Why Does This Matter?

Perception Problem: Xbox players expect first-party games like Avowed to appear on xCloud immediately. Seeing it on GeForce NOW first is confusing.
Cloud Strategy: It suggests Xbox is prioritizing Game Pass over cloud purchases, leaving gaps in availability.
Third-Party Surprises: Meanwhile, third-party titles like Tomb Raider are arriving for cloud purchase without fanfare.

What’s Next?

Could Avowed still arrive on xCloud once the early access period ends? Or is this a sign that Xbox is content to let services like GeForce NOW fill the cloud gaming gap for early releases?

For now, Lara Croft is stealing the spotlight while Avowed is MIA from Xbox’s own cloud platform. What do you think of this situation? Is Xbox Cloud Gaming falling behind, or is this a one-off blip? Let us know your thoughts below!