Toys for Bob has reportedly signed a deal with Xbox to develop a new game similar to its predecessor.
This comes just weeks after Toys for Bob, fondly remembered for its Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon revivals, spun off from parent company Activision Blizzard, now owned by Xbox. Now, according to a report from windows centralthe new indie Toys for Bob will bypass Activision Blizzard entirely and go straight to Xbox.
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According to sources who spoke to Windows Central, Xbox plans to fund Toys for Bob’s first game. These sources also say that the game will be similar to the studio’s previous work, but it’s unclear if this means we’ll see more Crash or Spyro games. In any case, if that’s true, it means we can expect the team to make games in the same genre.
Thanks to Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the gaming giant now owns Crash and Spyro, and it’s possible Toys for Bob will agree to continue developing the series. This is probably the best outcome for the indie studio, as the report also states that there were issues between the team and the previous owner. No matter what kind of games come out of this rumored Xbox deal, Toys for Bob, which is said to have been hit hard by a series of layoffs just before going indie, will lose its autonomy over its workplace. It is hoped that it will be able to be maintained.
The last game developed by Toys for Bob, Crash Team Rumble, was released in June 2023. Despite being a live service, it has already received a final update after receiving mixed reviews from fans and critics.
Toys for Bob was founded in 1989 and has seen significant changes in its 35 years in the industry. It used to publish games for Crystal Dynamics, but was acquired by Activision in 2005 and merged with Blizzard in 2008. Last year, the entirety of Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft, which also absorbed a number of its subsidiaries, including Toys for Bob. Xbox had a huge number of employees under its umbrella, and at a time when the industry was already incredibly volatile, Xbox laid off approximately 1,900 employees companywide. Toys for Bob is said to have been particularly hard hit just before announcing its separation from its parent company.
We’ll have to wait and see if this deal is officially announced by both parties, and if so, what kind of games will come out of this.
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