Spyro Was Rumored Playable in Canceled Crash Bandicoot Title

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 reasons behind the cancellation and Activision's broader strategy.

Crash Bandicoot 5: A Casualty of the Live-Service Model

Sequel Scrapped Due to Perceived Underperformance of Predecessor

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

Robertson's report details early concepts and artwork, including a villainous children's school setting and the return of familiar antagonists. Interestingly, Spyro, another PlayStation icon successfully revived by Toys for Bob, was slated to be a playable character alongside Crash, battling an interdimensional threat impacting both their worlds. Robertson stated, "Crash and Spyro were intended to be the two playable characters."

The cancellation was hinted at earlier by former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole. Robertson's report suggests that Crash Bandicoot 4's perceived underperformance further contributed to Activision's decision.

Other Single-Player Projects Also Affected

Activision's focus on live-service games impacted other franchises. Robertson also reported on the rejection of a pitch for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, a sequel to the successful remakes. Vicarious Visions, the studio behind the remakes, was subsequently absorbed into Activision and redirected to work on Call of Duty and Diablo.

Tony Hawk himself confirmed the existence of plans for 3+4 until Vicarious Visions' integration into Activision. He explained that Activision sought alternative studios to continue the series but ultimately deemed the pitches unsatisfactory. "The truth of it is [Activision] were trying to find somebody to do 3 and 4, but they just didn’t really trust anyone the way they did Vicarious. So they took other pitches from other studios...And they didn’t like anything they heard, and then that was it."

These cancellations highlight Activision's strategic shift and its impact on beloved single-player franchises.