Activision's pivot to live-service games reportedly led to the cancellation of Crash Bandicoot 5. This article explores the cancellation, its potential causes, and Activision's broader shift towards live-service titles.
Crash Bandicoot 5: A Casualty of the Live-Service Model
Crash Bandicoot 4's Performance Impacts Sequel Development
Gaming historian Liam Robertson reports that Toys for Bob, the studio behind the Crash Bandicoot revival, had initiated development on Crash Bandicoot 5. However, the project was reportedly shelved as Activision prioritized live-service multiplayer games, reallocating resources accordingly.Toys for Bob, known for its work on the Crash Bandicoot franchise and Spyro, had formed a team to conceptualize Crash Bandicoot 5, a planned single-player 3D platformer directly following Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.
Robertson's report details proposed storylines and concept art. The game was set in a villainous children's school and featured returning antagonists.
Concept art revealed a surprising collaboration: Spyro, another PlayStation icon revived by Toys for Bob, was to be a playable character alongside Crash, battling an interdimensional threat affecting both their worlds. "The intention 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, a claim now substantiated by Robertson's report. Activision's decision to cancel Crash Bandicoot 5 seems to stem from a shift towards live-service games and perceived underperformance of the previous installment.
Activision Rejects Pitches for Other Single-Player Titles
Crash Bandicoot isn't the only franchise affected by Activision's altered focus. Robertson also reports the rejection of a pitch for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, a sequel to the successful Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remake. Vicarious Visions, the studio behind the remakes, was redirected to work on Activision's core franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo.
Tony Hawk himself confirmed the existence of plans for a second remake set, stating that "That was the plan, even up until the release date of 1 and 2," before Vicarious Visions' absorption into Activision. The project was subsequently abandoned due to a lack of confidence in alternative studios' pitches for the title.
Hawk explained, "The truth 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…and they didn’t like anything they heard, and then that was it."
