Following the success of its previous screenshot competitions, Tomb Raider Forums now opens its 50th Official Screenshot Competition (OSC), also in part to celebrate the Yuletide season.

TRF’s series of OSC has covered several unique levels from all Tomb Raider games of the main series. This edition of OSC will have any snowy level from all Tomb Raider games as the setting for participating TRF members’ screen-shooting. The 50th OSC will be open until 17th December.

Tomb Raider Bulletin will keep you posted on this edition of OSC. Be sure to cast your votes once voting is open over at TRF.

In an open-for-all competition held last October 23 until December 5, 2007, Tomb Raider Forums members showcased their vision of future Lara Croft outfits with undeniable talent and artistry. Concluding a two-day voting period, TRF now hosts the winning entries from the month-long competition, with Quasimodo’s convertible kimono entry garnering 23 points putting it in 1st place.

We quote Quasimodo’s description for his winning entry: “The skirt is layers of flowing translucent black chiffon, the boots have removable stilleto heels and are made of ruched black satin. The overcoat is dupioni silk in dark olive green or peacock blue with light olive or black trim, inspired by traditional Japanese kimonos. Under the overcoat is a Tudor-style corset made of black matte silk and chiffon, adorned with a snaffle-bit clasp under the bust. Opaque black tights tuck into the boots and lace up at the hips.”

“Lara could wear this outfit to a winter formal party or even an opera, like in Legend or Chronicles, respectively. The overcoat can be removed so she can hit the dance floor. Should mercenaries arrive, the skirt can be torn off and the stilleto heels retracted The voluminous skirt could be used to hide twin pistols, a katana, or other weapon of choice.”

Be sure to check out all the entries from the voting thread over at Tomb Raider Forums.

An exclusive update from Tomb Raider Chronicles.

Eidos looks set to sensationally unveil the next incarnation in the phenomenally successful Lara Croft video-game series end of December having signed an exclusive deal with a U.S. based Xbox 360 print magazine.

An online PR campaign will mobilise in January 2008, including the launch of our microsite and publication of our preview and fact sheet from our demo last week. We’re under strict embargo in order to preserve an existing exclusive arrangement, but rest assured Tomb Raider: Underworld is most definately going to tick most of your boxes… and then some! Lara Croft is back and ready to blow your socks off!

Tentatively named Tomb Raider Underworld, the game is being developed by Crystal Dynamics and will release in 2008. The story centres on the Mayan calendar and the brief time frame where portals between the mortal realm and the Underworld dissolve. The game will court Next-Gen consoles including Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

Expect our usual unparalleled palette of Tomb Raider goodness dripping with polygon-rich delights and succulent info in January 2008 and be sure to visit Tomb Raider Forums were speculation and rumour are already rife on what gamers can expect from Underworld.

In a post by Tomb Raider Chronicles owner tlr online in Tomb Raider Forums, Tomb Raider: Firefly, an ominous website that sparked streams of fan speculation in late August 2007, is confirmed to indefinitely resume operations in 2008.

Addressing the general TRF community, tlr online said that database corruption resulted in the loss of all data for Firefly, and we quote: “Tomb Raider FIREFLY was/is a project developed by us. The project is database driven, and unfortunately the database corrupted and we lost a few months work. We just don’t have the time to complete this at the moment what with coverage on TR8 about to start, so we’ll start again on FIREFLY in the new year.”

Earlier in September 2007, tlr online also made mention that an upgrade caused the database corruption.

Tomb Raider Bulletin will keep you updated on the latest goings-on with Firefly as soon as information comes in.

As an early Christmas offering to the world’s biggest Tomb Raider community, Eidos’ fan community representative Keir_Eidos, also member at Tomb Raider Forums, has released a brand new Wii render of Lara Croft as she appears in Tomb Raider: Anniversary.

Collect all the spoils at Tomb Raider Chronicles.