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Xbox and Toys for Bob are teaming up after the former split from Activision.
Toys for Bob is working with Xbox to release the developer’s next game, the studio and its new but familiar partner announced this week. Posts on socials from Toys for Bob confirmed that Xbox will be publishing the game, but the developer declined to offer any details just yet on what, exactly, it’s working on. Toys for Bob is best known for working on games like the Spyro and Crash Bandicoot series, though because of recent events, it seems less likely that the studio will be returning to those franchises and will instead be working on something different.
The announcement from Toys for Bob as brief and acknowledged that whatever is being worked on right now, it’s still very early in development, so Toys for Bob fans might have to wait awhile before they learn more about what’s coming next.
“We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with [Xbox] to publish our next new game,” Toys for Bob said on Friday. “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.”
Developers partnering with publishers to get their games out the door is nothing new, but Toys for Bob’s arrangement with Xbox is unique because of the studio’s previous relationship with the company. While Toys for Bob did work on the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games, those properties were owned by Activision which also included Toys for Bob as one of the many studios under its umbrella. Shortly after Toys for Bob was impacted by Activision layoffs once the gaming giant was acquired by Xbox, Toys for Bob announced that it was going independent and would no longer be part of Activision.
The studio said at the time, however, that it was still exploring a possible relationship with Xbox, so for those who see today’s announcement as Toys for Bob being not so independent after all after breaking off this year, this deal with Xbox has been the plan since the beginning. People have speculated that Toys for Bob wished to go independent so as not to have to be part of the multi-developer Call of Duty machine which calls upon many Activision studios to develop new games, but that’s just speculation at this point.