If you have more details about where you saw this title—such as a specific YouTube channel or a fan site—I can help you track down the specific creator.

So where does “Lara Croft vs the Hideous Hermit Podgey 2021” stand today? It is neither a game, nor a canonical story, nor a simple joke. It has become a legendary fan artifact —a proof of concept for how a single, dedicated artist can hijack the discourse around a billion-dollar franchise.

Lara hesitated. Killing the hermit seemed desecration; letting the artifact be transported was worse. She dove into the history encoded in the relics: the device was a sentinel meant to protect sacred sites by fusing with a host, but over centuries its directives twisted. It demanded guardianship through domination.

This version of Lara is a master of survival, utilizing a climbing axe for both traversal and melee combat.

Lara's combat skills and arsenal would be a significant challenge for Podgey, unless he has extraordinary abilities or weapons.

Then, the lawyers stirred. On June 14, 2021, Crystal Dynamics issued a tepid, unusual statement: “We appreciate fan creativity, but ‘Lara Croft vs the Hideous Hermit Podgey’ is not an official project. Any association with the Tomb Raider brand is unintentional. Please do not send us Podgey fan art.”

Lara Croft first burst onto the gaming scene in 1996 with the release of the original Tomb Raider game. Developed by Core Design, the game was an instant hit, with Lara's bold and daring personality, combined with her exceptional archaeological skills, captivating gamers worldwide. Since then, the Tomb Raider series has grown to become one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, with over 80 million copies sold worldwide.

The title of the post read: