In a new documentary about former Activision developer Toys for Bob, it was revealed that a planned Crash Bandicoot 5 featuring Spyro the Dragon was canceled by Activision.
The documentary, produced by Liam Robertson for Did You Know Gaming?, delves into the history of the studio leading up to Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. It reveals that the development of Crash Bandicoot 4 initially started as an asymmetrical multiplayer game codenamed Lava or Wumpa League. However, the project took a shift towards a single-player adventure after creating tutorial levels for Wumpa League. This led to the completion of Crash Bandicoot 4 in just 18 months with occasional work on Wumpa League.
Toys for Bob had plans to release Wumpa League as a free update for Crash Bandicoot 4 with microtransactions a year after the game’s launch. Additionally, a pitch was created in 2020 for Crash Bandicoot 5, designed as a sequel to It’s About Time. The proposed game would have reintroduced elements from Crash Twinsanity, featured Uka Uka as the main villain, and included levels where Crash explores the minds of villains like Neo Cortex, Pinstripe, and Tiny Tiger. The most significant aspect was the crossover with Spyro the Dragon, where Crash and Spyro would unite to defeat Uka Uka. Unfortunately, the project was scrapped during pre-production due to Crash Bandicoot 4 not meeting Activision’s sales expectations.
The cancellation of Crash Bandicoot 5 in November 2020 led to the halt in production of the Wumpa League variant of Lava. Despite attempts to reimagine the concept, such as multiplayer platforming with World of Warcraft characters or a new IP called Monster Mechs
By the end of 2021, Toys for Bob revisited Project Lava, which eventually transformed into Crash Team Rumble. The project reused assets from Crash Bandicoot 4
The documentary provides further insight into the studio’s history and developments over the past decade, making it a must-watch for fans of Toys for Bob.
