Crash Bandicoot 5 Allegedly Canceled After Studio Went Indie

Crash Bandicoot 5: A Rumored Casualty?

Former Toys for Bob concept artist Nicholas Kole recently hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that a Crash Bandicoot 5 was in development but ultimately canceled. This revelation emerged during a discussion about another scrapped project, "Project Dragon," which Kole clarified was a new IP with Phoenix Labs, not a Spyro game as some speculated. His 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 disappointment among fans. Many expressed their heartbreak at the news of a potentially lost Crash Bandicoot installment.

The timing of this revelation coincides with Toys for Bob's transition to an independent studio after parting ways with Activision Blizzard earlier this year. While Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft, Toys for Bob is now partnering with Microsoft Xbox for publishing its first independent game. Details about this new project remain scarce.

The last major Crash Bandicoot title, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, launched in 2020 and achieved impressive sales, exceeding five million copies. Subsequent releases included the mobile runner Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! (2021) and the multiplayer game Crash Team Rumble (2023), the latter of which concluded its live service in March 2024. Despite this, Crash Team Rumble remains playable on current-generation consoles.

With Toys for Bob now operating independently, the possibility of a future Crash Bandicoot 5 remains open. However, fans may have to remain patient to see if this rumored project will ever materialize.