It’s been another wild week for the video game industry and it seems we’re not done just yet. After mass layoffs at companies like PlayStation and Electronic Arts, we’ve now got developers splitting from their owner groups.
To add to this, the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro developer Toys for Bob has now announced it’s leaving Activision and team Xbox to become an independent studio. This follows reports of its facility closing down, with reportedly 86 workers impacted at the time after Microsoft’s mass layoffs.
In a message on its official website, the heads of the company Paul Yan and Avery Lodato revealed Toys for Bob was already in the “early days” of developing its next new game, but couldn’t share any announcements just yet.
It’s also mentioned how both Activision and Microsoft have been “extremely supportive” of this decision and it plans to “explore a possible partnership with Microsoft” going forward and believes it will continue to work “closely” with both teams. Here’s the message in full:
We’re thrilled to announce that Toys for Bob is spinning off as an independent game development studio!
Over the years, we’ve inspired love, joy, and laughter for the inner child in all gamers. We pioneered new IP and hardware technologies in Skylanders. We raised the bar for best-in-class remasters in Spyro Reignited Trilogy. We’ve taken Crash Bandicoot to innovative, critically acclaimed new heights.
With the same enthusiasm and passion, 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.
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.
So, keep your horns on and your eyes out for more news. Thank you to our community of players for always supporting us through our journey. We can’t wait to share updates on our new adventure as an indie studio! Talk to you soon!
Over the past year, Toys for Bob worked on Crash Team Rumble and has previously worked on games like Crash Bandicoot 4 and Spyro Reignited Trilogy.
In other recent industry developments, Saber Interactive will reportedly be splitting from Embracer, and it looks like Gearbox Software could follow.
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
