Ian Milham, who is probably best known to gamers as the Art Director of the Dead Space franchise, will be joining Crystal Dyamics as the new Game Director of the Tomb Raider franchise. He’ll replace Brian Horton, who left Crystal Dynamics for the neighboring offices of Infinity Ward back in January.

“Ian is one of those rare veterans who combines creativity, artistry, and passion into excellence on-screen. It’s a matching type of DNA that Crystal Dynamics has forged itself upon over these last few years,” said Scot Amos, the Co-Head of Crystal Dynamics. “We’re very excited to welcome Ian as the newest top-tier talent joining our studio. His attitude, aptitude, and aspirations for crafting great game experiences are perfectly aligned with who and what Crystal Dynamics is all about.”

Lara Croft probably won’t battle an oozing space monster anytime soon, but Milham isn’t just known for Dead Space’s deranged and distinctive designs. Immediately prior to his employment at Crystal Dynamics, the developer also served as the Creative Director on Battlefield Hardline.

“Adventure games have always been my first love,” said Milham. “When the opportunity came to join Crystal Dynamics, I had to jump on it. This is the home of Lara Croft, who is a legend in action-adventure gaming and a pillar of the industry. I’ve admired Crystal’s work for a while now, as they continue to deliver top notch narrative and spectacle, coupled with deep systems and player choice. I’m very excited about where the studio is headed and I’m eager to be a part of it.”

While Square Enix didn’t officially announce a third game in the rebooted adventures of Lara Croft today, they may as well have. The recruitment of a new Game Director means the publisher has likely given the green light to yet another entry in the franchise, but it’ll probably be quite some time before we hear anything about it.