Spyro Rumored for 'Crash Bandicoot 5'

Activision's shift towards live-service games reportedly led to the cancellation of Crash Bandicoot 5, a project in development at Toys for Bob. This article explores the cancellation, its potential causes, and Activision's broader live-service strategy.

Crash Bandicoot 5: A Live-Service Casualty

Crash Bandicoot 4's Performance Impacts Sequel Development

Gaming historian Liam Robertson reports that Crash Bandicoot 5, a planned single-player 3D platformer and direct sequel to Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, was in early development at Toys for Bob. However, Activision's reallocation of resources to prioritize live-service titles resulted in the project's shelving.

Toys for Bob, known for revitalizing the Crash Bandicoot franchise, had assembled a team to conceptualize Crash Bandicoot 5. Robertson's report details story concepts and early artwork, revealing a setting in a villainous children's school and the return of classic antagonists.

Remarkably, concept art showcased Spyro, another PlayStation icon successfully revived by Toys for Bob, as a playable character alongside Crash, fighting an interdimensional threat. Robertson states, "Crash and Spyro were intended to be the two playable characters."

Former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole hinted at the cancellation on X, which Robertson's report substantiates, suggesting that Crash Bandicoot 4's perceived underperformance, coupled with Activision's live-service focus, contributed to the decision.

Activision Rejects Single-Player Sequel Pitches

Activision's strategic shift appears to have impacted other franchises. Robertson also reports the rejection of a pitch for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, a sequel to the successful Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remake. Vicarious Visions, the studio behind the remakes, was instead redirected to Activision's core franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo.

Tony Hawk himself confirms in Robertson's report that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 was planned until Vicarious Visions' absorption into Activision. He explains, "That was the plan... We were doing 3 and 4, and then Vicarious got kind of absorbed...and then it was over." He further clarifies that Activision sought pitches from other studios for the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater title but ultimately rejected them.

The lack of confidence in other studios to handle the franchise, coupled with the shift towards live service, effectively ended the project.