Crash Bandicoot 5 Allegedly Canceled After Studio Went Indie

Former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that a Crash Bandicoot 5 was canceled. This revelation followed a discussion about Kole's other scrapped project, "Project Dragon," which he clarified was a new IP with Phoenix Labs, not Spyro as some speculated. Kole's comment, "It is not Spyro, but some day folks will hear about the Crash 5 that never was and it’s gonna break hearts," ignited a wave of disappointed reactions from fans.

The news comes after Toys for Bob's transition from an Activision Blizzard studio to an independent entity earlier this year, following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. While Toys for Bob is now partnering with Microsoft Xbox for future publishing endeavors, details about their first independent title remain scarce.

The last mainline Crash Bandicoot game, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, launched in 2020 and sold over five million copies. Subsequent releases included the mobile runner Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! (2021) and the multiplayer title Crash Team Rumble (2023), the latter of which ended live service in March 2024.

With Toys for Bob's newfound independence, the possibility of a future Crash Bandicoot 5 remains uncertain. Whether this canceled project will ever be revived remains to be seen, leaving fans in a state of anticipation.