Ryan Dinsdale
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Toys for Bob, the Crash Bandicoot 4 developer and Call of Duty support studio that left the Xbox-owned Activision in February 2024, has signed an agreement with Xbox directly to publish its next game.
Revealed in a post on X/Twitter, Toys for Bob confirmed reports from March 2024 that claimed it would team up with Xbox once again. Its next game, which the studio said will return it to its roots, is still in “very early development,” but it’s partnering with Xbox to publish it.
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with @Xbox to publish our next new game. We’re still very early in development, so you might not hear from us for a bit – but know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about! Can’t wait to share more đź’ś pic.twitter.com/6EqrQbabpv
— Toys For Bob (@ToysForBob) May 31, 2024
“We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with Xbox to publish our next new game,” Toys for Bob said. “We’re still very early in development, so you might not hear from us for a bit, but know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about. Can’t wait to share more “
Toys for Bob has been active since 1990, but was acquired by Activision in 2005 and became known for developing the Skylanders games. It later remastered the Spyro and Crash Bandicoot trilogies before creating Crash Bandicoot 4.
In more recent years, however, it’s spent most of its time as a Call of Duty support studio, helping other Activision developers create the annualized franchise.
But amid mass industry acquisitions and layoffs, Toys for Bob announced it would be leaving Activision and Xbox to return to being an independent studio. “Over the years, we’ve inspired love, joy, and laughter for the inner child in all gamers,” it said at the time. “This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio.”
Toys for Bob remains independent despite this new partnership with Xbox, as the console maker will essentially provide funding for its game and receive some of its profits without owning the game itself.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.