In a message to their community, the video game developer Toys for Bob announced their spin-off from Activision and are transitioning into an independent game development studio. This move is interesting because it’s not common for a successful studio to break from a good partnership with its publisher. Toys for Bob is known for popular game remakes like the Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, but it may go in another direction now.
The studio stated its previous accomplishments in the post announcing this. They went over creating the popular Skylanders series and its unique combination of physical toys. They also recognized their success in updating beloved classic games and advancing the Crash Bandicoot franchise.
The statement made it clear that the company wanted to return to its creative beginnings as a smaller, more flexible team. The company spoke on its enthusiasm for the future and the opportunities that come with independence. They also mentioned the possibility of partnering with Microsoft, stating they are “exploring a potential partnership” without providing specific details.
We also have a report about how this decision to become independent has put an end to the updates for Crash Team Rumble.
To make this news even more exciting, we’re exploring a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft. And while we’re in the early days of developing our next new game and a ways away from making any announcements, our team is excited to develop new stories, new characters, and new gameplay experiences. 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
That part was weird to me because Activision, their old partner, is now a part of Microsoft. So maybe it’s a deal with Microsoft itself instead of Activision. Either way, it looks like their time with Activision is over. They assured fans of ongoing cooperation with them and Activision said they’d provide updates on their progress as an independent studio.
We’re waiting for the announcement of what will be made next. Activision owned the IPs of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, so it clearly won’t be either of those.
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