Toys for Bob, the developer of Crash Bandicoot 4 and Crash Team Rumble, is officially independent of Activision and Microsoft. Despite the split, the studio hasn’t ruled out working with those companies in the future.
Crash Bandicoot developer Toys for Bob splits from Activision after 19 years
Toys for Bob’s separation from Activision goes into effect today, February 29. The divorce also appears to be an amicable one, according to the studio’s official statement. “Our friends at Activision and Microsoft have been extremely supportive of our new direction, and we’re confident that we will continue to work closely together as part of our future,” Toys for Bob wrote. The company, which closed its physical office earlier this month, also says it is exploring a possible partnership with Microsoft, which acquired Crash Bandicoot publisher Activision last year.
If this partnership works out, it could mean that Toys for Bob isn’t done with the Crash Bandicoot series. Unfortunately, the company’s statement didn’t detail its future plans, but it promises to give more updates soon.
Founded by Paul Reiche and Fred Ford in 1989, Toys for Bob released its first game, Star Control, in 1990. Decades later, it developed the Skylanders series, released from 2011 to 2016. It later released the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy before launching Crash Bandicoot 4 in 2020. Its last game as the primary developer was 2023’s Crash Team Rumble, though it also assisted on Modern Warfare III.
While Toys for Bob’s relationship with Activision lasted almost 20 years, the studio expressed excitement for its new opportunities. “With the same enthusiasm and passion,” it says, “we believe that now is the time to take the studio and our future games to the next level. This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio.”