Spyro The Dragon Set to Join Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

A recent report from gaming historian Liam Robertson reveals that Crash Bandicoot 5, a planned sequel in development at Toys for Bob, was cancelled. Activision's shift towards a live-service game model is cited as the primary reason for the project's termination.

The purported Crash Bandicoot 5, envisioned as a single-player 3D platformer, was reportedly in its early conceptual stages. Concept art and story outlines suggest a villainous children's school setting and the inclusion of classic antagonists. Remarkably, Spyro, another PlayStation icon revitalized by Toys for Bob, was slated to be a playable character alongside Crash, battling an interdimensional threat impacting both their worlds. Robertson stated that "Crash and Spyro were intended to be the two playable characters."

This cancellation follows a hint dropped nearly a month prior by Nicholas Kole, a former Toys for Bob concept artist. The decision appears to stem from Activision's prioritization of live-service games, coupled with perceived underperformance of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.

Activision's focus on live-service games also impacted other projects. A planned Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, a sequel to the successful remakes, was reportedly scrapped. Vicarious Visions, the studio behind the remakes, was absorbed by Activision, leading to the cancellation. Tony Hawk himself confirmed that a sequel was in the works until Vicarious Visions' integration into Activision, and subsequent difficulties in finding a suitable replacement studio resulted in the project's demise. Activision's apparent lack of confidence in other studios to handle the franchise led to the cancellation of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater sequel. The images below show some of the concept art for the cancelled Crash Bandicoot 5.

[Image 1: Crash Bandicoot 5 concept art] [Image 2: Crash Bandicoot 5 concept art] [Image 3: Crash Bandicoot 5 concept art] [Image 4: Crash Bandicoot 5 concept art]

The cancellation of these projects highlights Activision's strategic shift away from single-player titles in favor of the live-service model.