Summary
Based on a recent statement from a former character designer and illustrator ofCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, aCrash Bandicoot 5project has been canceled behind closed doors. Additionally, a game known as Project Dragon has been canceled by Phoenix Labs, which would have been a brand-new IP from the studio. The announcement of these cancelations is incredibly heartbreaking news, especially forCrash Bandicootfans.
The Crash Bandicoot franchise has been through some troubled ups and downs in the past decade. TheCrash Bandicootremake trilogy andCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timewere seen as great returns to form, with the latter game being the first continuation of the franchise since 2008’sCrash: Mind over Mutant. It was praised for its story and a fresh take on the series' classic platforming gameplay, but despite the praise it received, theCrash Bandicootfranchise struggled once again following the release ofCrash Team Rumble. FollowingToys for Bob’s split from Activision, some believed that Crash and Spyro could get a chance to shine again. Unfortunately, it appears one attempt atCrash 5is no longer in the works.
These details were shared in a lengthy Twitter thread by Nicholas Kole, an illustrator and character designer who worked onCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. He revealed that a project that they were working on for the past three years was canned, and any attempts at saving it failed. The game was called “Project Dragon,” which confused some people who thought he was referring toa potential newSpyrogame. Kole then clarified it wasn’t, but led into the reveal thatCrash 5was also canceled at some point.
The potential confusion possibly stems from howToys for Bob reached an agreement with Xbox for a new gameearlier this year, which led to people speculating that it would have been for theSpyroorCrash Bandicootfranchises. Kole confirms that the projects were two different things at two different studios, but notes that “folks will hear about theCrash 5that never was and it’s gonna break hearts.”
The project canceled at Phoenix Labs was also revealed by Kole on Twitter, who shared that it would have been a cozy survival crafting multiplayer RPG, which presumably had a focus on dragons. It was inspired byMinecraftin terms of its blocky nature andinspired byZelda: Breath of the Wildin terms of its quest structure. This game didn’t have a name beyond its Project Dragon codename, but many lamented the cancelations of both projects Kole had worked on.
Crash Bandicoot
The Crash Bandicoot franchise began in 1996 with the intention of being Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic. The series kicked off with three iconic platform games from Naughty Dog, along with one of the best kart racing games of all time, Crash Team Racing.The series' quality has been inconsistent since Naughty Dog left, though it seems to have found its feet again in recent years.
