Rise of the Tomb Raider director moves to Infinity Ward

The director of Rise of the Tomb Raider has joined Call of Duty studio Infinity Ward.

Brian Horton was game director at Crystal Dynamics for just over a year, having previously served as senior art director for six and a half years – including on the original self-titled Tomb Raider reboot in 2013.

His departure was announced via the official Tomb Raider Tumblr.

“It’s been a huge honour to be a part of the Tomb Raider franchise and the team at Crystal Dynamics,” said Horton.

“I’ve met fans from all over the world, both in person and online, to share in our love for the franchise and Lara Croft. After working on two amazing games, my family and I have decided to return to Southern California and start a new adventure.

“As sad as I am to leave the team at Crystal, I’m excited to play their future games as a fan. Thanks again for the years of support and feedback and I hope to stay in touch with you all online.”

A later update to Horton’s LinkedIn profile revealed that he has now joined Infinity Ward as studio art director, leading the Call of Duty art team on the creation of a currently untitled new project.

Before joining Crystal Dynamics, Horton also served at Disney Interactive Studios, Vivendi and The Collective, working on games including Toy Story 3, Spectrobes, Ghostbusters, Bourne, FEAR 3 and Silent Hill Homecoming.