Crash Bandicoot 5 Unveiled: Rumored Cancellation Quashed

A 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 follows Kole's announcement about another scrapped project, "Project Dragon," which fueled speculation among fans.

"Project Dragon" and the Unreleased Crash 5

Kole clarified that "Project Dragon" was a new IP developed with Phoenix Labs, not a Spyro game as some initially believed. However, he used the opportunity to tease the existence of a canceled Crash Bandicoot 5, predicting the news would upset fans—a prediction that proved accurate. The response from fans was overwhelmingly negative, expressing significant disappointment.

The cancellation news comes after Toys For Bob's transition from Activision Blizzard to an independent studio earlier this year, coinciding with Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Interestingly, Toys For Bob is now collaborating with Microsoft Xbox for their first independent title, though details remain scarce.

The last mainline Crash Bandicoot game, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, launched in 2020 and sold over five million copies. Subsequent releases included the mobile game Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! (2021) and the multiplayer title Crash Team Rumble (2023), the latter of which ended its live service in March 2024.

With Toys For Bob now operating independently, the possibility of a future Crash Bandicoot 5 remains uncertain. However, the studio's newfound freedom may offer a chance to revisit the project, though fans may have to wait to see if that happens.