Spyro and Crash nearly entered the multiverse.
Gaming icons Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot have met before, but they were reportedly set to get their grandest adventure yet in the now-cancelled Crash Bandicoot 5, as revealed by video game historian Liam Robertson.
In a new deep dive video investigation, Robertson (via DidYouKnowGaming on YouTube) has revealed extensive plans for Crash 5, which would have followed on from the excellent Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Plans for a sequel reportedly kicked off in the wake of this release, with developer Toys for Bob and publisher Activision having high hopes for the game’s sales success.
Multiple ideas were reportedly drawn up for a potential sequel. Toys for Bob wanted to reintroduce themes from Twinsanity by having the Academy of Evil appear, as guided by evil mask Uka Uka. It also reportedly wanted Crash to undertake some mind spelunking in the vein of Psychonauts.
Perhaps the most exciting idea for fans who grew up with Crash Bandicoot and other PlayStation icons, was for Crash 5 to feature Spyro the Dragon. According to various developers who spoke to Robertson for this deep-dive video, Uka Uka would have used his powers to open a portal into the Dragon Realm and cause chaos.
Naturally, this would have led to Spyro joining Crash on his adventure, as the two worked together to restore peace across multiple dimensions.
Toys for Bob was considering how Spyro and Crash would interact, and reportedly experimented with collectibles (dragon feathers) and other mechanics which would have shaken up traditional Crash Bandicoot gameplay.
Why was Crash 5 cancelled?
According to Robertson, these ideas were stopped at the pre-production stage, with Activision reportedly cancelling the project due to lower-than-expected sales for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. That’s despite the game reportedly selling as many as 5 million copies since launch.
Early sales projections were low, and the game underperformed in its first month, as compared to the wildly successful Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Despite later success, it appears the damage was done – and so, Toys for Bob’s ambitions for Crash 5 were snipped before they could blossom.
Instead, Toys for Bob shifted to work on live service game, Crash Team Rumble. Within a year of release, the game was no longer getting new updates, and Toys for Bob had announced its break away from Activision, and renewed independence.
For the full story of Crash 5 and its incredibly potent crossover ideas, visit DidYouKnowGaming on YouTube.
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By Leah J. Williams 26 August 2024
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