Spyro Cross-Over Canceled in Crashed 5 Title

Activision's shift to a live-service model reportedly led to the cancellation of Crash Bandicoot 5. This article explores the reasons behind the cancellation, including the perceived underperformance of Crash Bandicoot 4, and examines Activision's broader strategy shift towards live-service games.

Activision's Focus on Live Service Games Leads to Crash Bandicoot 5 Cancellation

Crash Bandicoot 4's Performance Impacts Sequel Development

Gaming historian Liam Robertson reports that Toys for Bob, the studio behind the Skylanders series and the Crash Bandicoot revival, had begun pre-production on Crash Bandicoot 5. However, Activision's prioritization of live-service titles resulted in the project's cancellation and reallocation of resources.

Toys for Bob, responsible for the successful relaunch of the Crash Bandicoot franchise, had formed a team to develop a single-player 3D platformer, a direct sequel to Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.

Robertson's report details story concepts and early artwork. The game was set in a villainous children's school and featured returning antagonists.

Concept art revealed a surprising addition: Spyro, another PlayStation icon revived by Toys for Bob, would have been a playable character alongside Crash, battling an interdimensional threat impacting both their worlds. "The plan was to have Crash and Spyro as the two playable characters," Robertson stated.

Former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole hinted at the cancellation on X, which was subsequently corroborated by Robertson's report. The decision to cancel Crash Bandicoot 5 appears to stem from Activision's strategic shift towards live-service games and concerns about the commercial performance of its predecessor.

Activision Rejects Pitches for Other Single-Player Franchises

The impact of Activision's strategy extends beyond Crash Bandicoot. Robertson also reports that a pitch for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, a sequel to the successful Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remake, was rejected. Vicarious Visions, the studio behind the remakes, was reassigned to work on Activision's core franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo.

Tony Hawk himself confirmed the existence of plans for a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 remake, stating that it was in development until Vicarious Visions was fully integrated into Activision. "That was the plan, right up until the release of 1 and 2," Hawk explained. "We were working on 3 and 4, then Vicarious was absorbed, they looked for other developers, and it was over."

Hawk further clarified, "The truth is, [Activision] tried to find someone to do 3 and 4, but they didn't trust anyone like they trusted Vicarious. They got pitches from other studios, asking 'What would you do with the [Tony Hawk Pro Skater] title?' They didn't like anything they heard, and that was it."