California-based game developer Toys for Bob is best known for its revival of two classic game series, 2018’s Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy. With the successful launch of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time two years later, the studio established itself as one that gamers could trust to skillfully handle these beloved franchises. So it came as quite a surprise, and no little disappointment for some, when it was announced that Toys for Bob would become a support studio for Call of Duty: Warzone.
Before the Crash and Spyro trilogy remakes, Toys for Bob had a catalog of games dating back to 1990, none of which were similar to Call of Duty: Warzone. The developer had worked on some Disney licensed games, the cult classic Pandemonium!, and a number of Skylanders titles, among others. It seemed that action-adventure platformers with a unique aesthetic were what the company did best. So it was seen as a positive development when rumors began in late 2021 that Toys for Bob might be hiring for a non-Call of Duty project.
That project turned out to be a multiplayer party game called Crash Bandicoot Wumpa League, and not much was known about it other than it had a leaked release date of October 2021. Obviously, that month came and went without even an announcement of a game, let alone an actual launch. But in a recent Windows Central Gaming livestream, Jez Corden, an established and often accurate leaker, revealed that the rumored multiplayer Crash title may actually be a reality, though it might not be Wumpa League after all. In the video below, Corden’s statements can be found at 01:29:05.
When asked about the possibility of a new Crash game, Corden responded with, “I wasn’t supposed to leak that.” He then expounded by saying, “I think we could see a new Crash Bandicoot. And not only is it going to be a new Crash Bandicoot, it’s going to be a multiplayer Crash Bandicoot.” When asked for clarification, such as whether it would be like Super Mario Party or Fuzion Frenzy, Corden stated that he didn’t know, but he seemed certain that the game was not called Wumpa League. Further describing the new Toys for BobCrash game, the Windows Central editor explained that it was a Crash-oriented four-player brawler “almost.”
Toys for Bob has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision since 2005, so if there were to be an announcement of a Crash Bandicoot multiplayer brawler, a likely place would be at the upcoming Summer Games Fest 2022 or the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, which both take place in June. That is if the project is advanced enough to warrant an announcement at this time. When Wumpa League didn’t make an appearance in October 2021, it was assumed that the delay was potentially due to the pandemic that hindered multiple game projects. If the new rumored Crash game is a modified or evolved version of Wumpa League, it will have had the same delays and may therefore still not be ready for an announcement.
A new Crash Bandicoot game is rumored to be in development.