Crash Bandicoot 5 Would've Had Spyro As Playable Character

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

Crash Bandicoot 5: Shelved Due to Live Service Focus

Sequel Canceled Following Crash Bandicoot 4's Performance

Gaming historian Liam Robertson revealed that Toys for Bob, the studio behind the Crash Bandicoot revival, had begun pre-production on Crash Bandicoot 5, a single-player 3D platformer. However, Activision's prioritization of live-service titles resulted in the project's cancellation and reallocation of resources.

The planned sequel to Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time was envisioned as a single-player adventure set in a villainous children's school, featuring returning antagonists. Concept art even showcased Spyro, another PlayStation icon revitalized by Toys for Bob, as a playable character alongside Crash, battling an interdimensional threat. Robertson stated, "Crash and Spyro were intended to be the two playable characters."

Former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole's earlier hints on X regarding a canceled sequel are now corroborated by Robertson's report. The decision to cancel Crash Bandicoot 5 seems linked to Activision's live-service focus and perceived underperformance of the previous installment.

Activision Rejects Pitches for Other Single-Player Games

Activision's strategic shift impacted other franchises. Robertson also reported 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 flagship titles like Call of Duty and Diablo.

Tony Hawk himself confirmed the existence of plans for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 before Vicarious Visions' integration into Activision. He explained that after the studio's absorption, Activision sought other developers but ultimately deemed the pitches unsatisfactory, effectively ending the project. Hawk stated, "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."