Crash Bandicoot 5 Supposedly Shelved
Rumors are swirling that fans of the iconic platforming series might have missed out on a new installment. Former Toys For Bob concept artist, Nicholas Kole, hinted at the shelving of Crash Bandicoot 5 in an X (formerly Twitter) post on July 12th. Kole's post initially focused on his other canceled project, "Project Dragon," which led to speculation from the likes of Sonic comic writer Daniel Barnes that it might have been related to Spyro due to its title. However, Kole clarified that "Project Dragon" was actually a new IP developed with Phoenix Labs and not connected to Spyro. During this clarification, he also mentioned the unfulfilled promise of Crash Bandicoot 5, stating, "It is not Spyro, but some day folks will hear about the Crash 5 that never was and it’s gonna break hearts."
The revelation has left the Crash Bandicoot community in dismay. Fans expressed their heartbreak in the replies, with sentiments like, "Hearing any sort of cancelled project news breaks my heart, but hearing about a cancelled Crash in particular stings harder than anything."
'Project Dragon' Also Scrapped
Toys For Bob, the developer behind the Crash Bandicoot series, has undergone significant changes recently. The studio parted ways with Activision Blizzard to become an independent entity earlier this year. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft. Despite this shift, Toys For Bob has secured a partnership with Microsoft Xbox to publish their first independent game, though details about this project remain under wraps.
The most recent mainline Crash Bandicoot game, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, was released in 2020 and achieved sales of over five million copies. Subsequent releases included the mobile runner Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! in 2021 and the online multiplayer Crash Team Rumble in 2023. The latter concluded its live support in March with a final content update but remains playable on next-gen consoles.
With Toys For Bob now operating as an independent studio, the future of Crash Bandicoot 5 remains uncertain. Fans are hopeful that this newfound independence might eventually lead to the revival of the anticipated sequel, sparing them from a prolonged wait for the next adventure in the beloved series.
