Toys for Bob, the American video game developer known for their work on popular franchises such as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy, has announced its return to the independent status after a recent round of layoffs at Microsoft.
Since 2005, Toys for Bob had been owned by Activision, recently acquired by Microsoft, creating popular titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Skylanders for the last 19 years and lending its expertise for the development of recent Call of Duty games.
The studio is currently reverting back to being a private entity; deciding it is “time to elevate our studio and future games to the next level. This opportunity will allow us to return to our roots as a small, flexible studio”.
Encouragingly, Toys for Bob’s new direction was fully supported by both Activision and Microsoft. The studio is confident in maintaining close collaboration with both companies moving forward.
The company is also currently exploring potential partnerships with Microsoft. Though still in early stages, the new project from Toys for Bob is not yet ready for official announcements.
Before finalizing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming’s CEO, Phil Spencer promised to grant Toys for Bob creative freedom and the opportunity to pursue the projects they desire.
While specific details about the incoming mysterious game are not yet ready to be shared, Toys for Bob remarked they are “excited to create new stories, characters, and gameplay experiences”.
