They triumphed with the Skylanders saga. Over the past few years they have shown that it was possible to give new life to Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. Now, Toys for Bob surprises with an unexpected move: months after joining the great Xbox family after the purchase of Activision Blizzard, they announce that they will fly on their own. Like a certain little purple dragon.
Without serving as a precedent, Xbox Game Studios has subtracted a valuable studio instead of adding it. Through a statement, Toys for Bob make it official that with immediate effect they become an independent study. In fact, the big plan is to return to its roots and enjoy the advantages that being a smaller, more versatile studio gives them. But that doesn't mean that relations with Microsoft are bad. Quite the opposite.
In the same statement, Toys for Bob makes it clear that both Activision and Microsoft have greatly supported the initiative and anticipate that, as independent studios, they will continue to collaborate on future projects. Because, and this is important, they are already immersed in developing your next game.
To make this news even more exciting, we are exploring a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft. And while we're in the early days of developing our next new game and are far from making any announcements, our team is excited to develop new stories, new characters, and new gaming experiences.
Does this mean that Microsoft has lost the likes of Crash o Spyro From overnight? Both video game icons came to Activision after a series of mergers and their licenses continue to belong to the Call of Duty company, so that both their legacy and their future are part of Xbox.
In other words, if Toys for Bob wants to make a new game of Crash Bandicoot, you must request it from Activision or Xbox or receive a direct proposal from them. And everyone knows, including the players, that they will be in very good hands if they take that step. However, the first priority of the new independent studios seems to be betting on creating their own sagas.
In a time when closures and layoffs are the order of the day, daring to become independent goes beyond recklessness. Operate and create the projects that you are passionate about without accountability, a luxury. A risky move, although with an additional advantage: Toys for Bob has known how to leave doors open and, despite starting this new stage, it starts with a name that is synonymous with fun and good alliances.
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