A few weeks ago, Toys for Bob unexpectedly split from Activision and Microsoft to become an independent developer once again. However, even in that announcement, the studio based in Novato, California mentioned that they were exploring a partnership with Microsoft for their next game.
According to Windows Central, that deal has since been reached. Their sources mention an internal townhall meeting where Matt Booty, who was recently nominated President of Game Content and Studios since he now oversees not only Xbox Studios but also ZeniMax's and Activision's, confirmed the agreement has been finalized. Microsoft also said this was a way to avoid having to shut down studios, and it's not the first time they used this method, which was chosen when Twisted Pixel Games (an Austin-based studio that used to make Xbox Live Arcade games) was spun off in 2011.
As for what Toys for Bob will be doing next, Matt Booty only reportedly hinted that it will be akin to what the studio has been known for. With the exception of the very first games made by the developer, which include the Star Control franchise, Toys for Bob has largely focused on platform games targeting a younger audience. Their track record includes:
- Disney's 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue
- Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure
- Madagascar
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
- Skylanders: Giants
- Skylanders: Trap Team
- Skylanders: Imaginators
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
- Spyro Reignited Trilogy
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
- Crash Team Rumble
There was, of course, the unfortunate final period with Activision when Toys for Bob was redirected towards working on Call of Duty Warzone, as well as Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III, much to the dismay of their fans. Thankfully, that should all be in the past now that they're independent again. It'll be interesting to see whether they choose to make a new IP or continue with Spyro or Crash.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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