Report: Crash Bandicoot May be Making a Comeback

[Steven Bogos]

Report: Crash Bandicoot May be Making a Comeback

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Prominent toy maker NECA has teased that Sony franchise Crash Bandicoot may be returning.

Here's some good news for fans of old-school 3D platformers: Sony's sort-of mascot Crash Bandicoot [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/crash%20bandicoot] may be making a comeback. At New York Toy Fair 2016, prominent toy maker NECA made an off-handed comment suggesting the bandicoot will be returning to the PlayStation some time in the near future.

We've got a lot of stuff going on with Sony," NECA Director of Development Randy Falk told YouTuber PixelDan [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J8ZIRWbZi8]. He spoke of upcoming toys in the God of War, Uncharted and LittleBigPlanet franchises, before very briefly stating "Looking at some of their other titles, I see that they're bringing Crash Bandicoot back ..."

Falk didn't offer any further explanation or follow-up to his Crash Bandicoot comment, so I'm afraid that's all we have to go on for now. His comment could be referring to a full-blown comeback in the form of new Crash Bandicoot games, but it also could simply be Sony leveraging the franchise by including him in existing games or merchandise.

Crash Bandicoot was originally created by Naughty Dog, who have now made a name for themselves with the Uncharted franchise, and the awarding-winning The Last of Us. He made his debut on the original PlayStation, and served as a kind of "mascot" character for Sony, back in the days where anthropomorphic animal mascots were cool.

The last Crash Bandicoot game to be released was Crash: Mind over Mutant in 2007 for the PlayStation 2.

Source: NeoGAF [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J8ZIRWbZi8]

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[Hawki]

Um, okay, few things.

First, Mind Over Mutant was released in 2007. Second of all, as I understand it, doesn't Activision own the rights to the series right now? It doesn't preclude Sony "bringing him back," per se, but if anything, I'd have thought Activision would be the ones opening the door.

 

[PunkRex]

That's cool, I loved his older games and Mind Over Mutant was fun. Personally, if we're talking early Sony mascots, I'm still waiting on that Spyro remake.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

It'd be pretty neat if they did bring back Crash Bandicoot. I myself never played any Crash Bandicoot game (with the exception of Crash Bash at my one cousin's house), but considering how beloved he is by many gamers, him coming back would indeed be a great thing!

Of course, they still have to do a new Crash Bandicoot game well.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Were anthropomorphic animal mascots ever *really* cool, or did we just temporarily think that they were?

I haven't played a crash game since the original.

 

[EeviStev]

I feel a gritty reboot coming on.

 

[gigastar]

I gotta wonder if its Naughty Dog or Sucker Punch working on this.

If its true at all that is.

The last Crash Bandicoot game to be released was Crash: Mind over Mutant in 2002 for the PlayStation 2.

Might want to fact check that.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Meh. Never played it, and TBH I dont know how well people would receive AAA platformer in these times. A new Crash game is only going to sell on nostalgia power.

Unless they really change it drastically.

 

[Flatfrog]

Meh. Never played it, and TBH I dont know how well people would receive AAA platformer in these times.

Look over there! Mario, Donkey Kong and Rayman are waving at you!

 

[RealRT]

I wish Sony bought Crash away from Activision and gave him to Sucker Punch (Naughty Dog are way too serious and trendy these days).

 

[Evonisia]

If Rayman can make an unexpected comeback so can Crash.

[small]At least that's what I want to believe[/small]

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

God of war toys?? Bahaha! Ahem, alright, seriously though...forget Crash, that style has been and gone. We need spyro the dragon back and not made shit. Damnit, i want to be a dragon!! You could transform from baby dragon to monstrous monstrosity that burns and devours all! We. Have. The. Technology.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Meh. Never played it, and TBH I dont know how well people would receive AAA platformer in these times.

Look over there! Mario, Donkey Kong and Rayman are waving at you!

I was not even aware that Donkey Kong and Rayman had recent releases. And Mario, is, well, Mario.

 

[Flatfrog]

I was not even aware that Donkey Kong and Rayman had recent releases. And Mario, is, well, Mario.

Well, I don't know how you define "recent", but Rayman Legends and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze both came out in 2014 - I'd comfortably call that "these times".

 

[Casual Shinji]

I wish Sony bought Crash away from Activision and gave him to Sucker Punch (Naughty Dog are way too serious and trendy these days).

Well, what exactly is Sucker Punch going to do with it? Based on their current games, they're about as apt or willing to make a new Crash as Naughty Dog is.

And if they do bring back Crash, they're going to have to do some serious re-evaluating of that property. That old gameplay style is not going to cut it anymore. There's a reason a lot of these gaming mascots went into obscurity, and it's not due to Activision buying them up.

 

[JemothSkarii]

Oh God leave him dead. Leave him dead please.

Look at Bomberman! Look at Spyro!

Don't resurrect that corpse, leave me with the good memories.

 

[Micah Weil]

Is this going to be like Alf where he comes back in Pog form?

 

[RealRT]

I wish Sony bought Crash away from Activision and gave him to Sucker Punch (Naughty Dog are way too serious and trendy these days).

Well, what exactly is Sucker Punch going to do with it? Based on their current games, they're about as apt or willing to make a new Crash as Naughty Dog is.

And if they do bring back Crash, they're going to have to do some serious re-evaluating of that property. That old gameplay style is not going to cut it anymore. There's a reason a lot of these gaming mascots went into obscurity, and it's not due to Activision buying them up.

Even at its most serious Infamous wasn't nearly as dour as the last of us.

Oh, you so sure about that? 'cause Sonic is still not going anywhere even if his latest game was just as much of a trainwreck as the 2006 one. Mario is a mascot and he still is a cash cow. How are Ratchet and Clank doing? Oh, yeah, they are getting a theatrical movie and a remake of their first game. Now of course a lot of mascots did fall into obscurity, but for the most part they did so after a sub-par game. Or, like Crash and Spyro, due to Activision buying them up.

 

[TallanKhan]

I would like to see Crash Bandicoot back if they do it well, but it would take some doing. Granted the series was 3D back when it was good, so it is unlikely to find the transition to modern consoles as difficult as say Sonic did but there are still alot of ways they could screw this up. Plus the prospect of Activision potentially being involved gives me cause for concern.

 

[Hiddelgreyk]

Well I quite enjoyed Crash of the Titans, so I'd be potentially interested...

Hell, I actually enjoy the "new" style they gave him back in 2006/07 over the "old", classic one.
But I'm a dumb kid who grew up with Need for Speed (2 and Hot Pursuit 2, to be precise) and Crash of the titans for the Wii, and thought Shadow The Hedgehog (the game) was the coolest shit back in elementary school, so who wants my opinion, amirite?