Crash Team Rumble

It features the playable characters from Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, whose movesets were adjusted for a multiplayer format. Development was influenced by Toys for Bob's experience on Call of Duty, shaping a content roadmap beyond the first season. Rumble received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay, map design, and presentation but criticized its content variety, live-service elements, and pricing. Reviewers doubted the title's longevity and ability to sustain a community. The game's three seasons introduced new gameplay modes as well as new characters and maps, including some from the Spyro series. It was Toys for Bob's final game produced as an Activision studio before becoming independent in February 2024, and the game received a final content update the following month.

• Developer — Toys for Bob • Publisher — Activision • Director — * Dan Neil • Lou Studdert • Producer — * Matt Copeland • Maria Rosseau • Scot Tumlin • Elena Morillo-Peterson • Peter Kavic • Designer — Toby Schadt • Programmer — Brent Gumns Hostrawser • Artist — * Amber Long • Dev Madan • Josh Nadelberg • Writer — Mandy Benanav • Composer — Stephan Vankov • Series — Crash Bandicoot • Engine — Unreal Engine 4 • Platforms — * PlayStation 4 • PlayStation 5 • Xbox One • Xbox Series X/S • Released — June 20, 2023 • Genre — Real-time strategy, platform • Modes — Multiplayer

• Illustration — In Crash Team Rumble, players are tasked with collecting and stockpiling Wumpa Fruit for their team, a row of which is visible in front of the pictured player character Crash (center). The character to the left of Crash is using a "Junker Ball", a power-up specific to the stage Calamity Canyon. Crash Team Rumble is a four-versus-four online multiplayer game in which two teams compete to collect and deposit 2,000 Wumpa Fruit first. Players collect Wumpa Fruit either directly off the ground or by breaking crates scattered across the arena, then deposit them at their team's bank to score points. Crates can be broken by spinning, slamming, or sliding into them. Depositing requires a brief moment at the bank, creating opportunities for enemy interference. The character roster is divided into three roles: scorers, blockers, and boosters. Scorers (such as Crash, Tawna and Catbat) are specialized for collecting and depositing Wumpa Fruit, with abilities like Tawna's grappling hook granting high mobility. Scorers can carry more Wumpa Fruit at a time and are generally more agile. Blockers (such as Dingodile, N. Tropy's female counterpart and N. Brio) disrupt enemy scorers with area-denial abilities, exemplified by Dingodile's vacuum and N. Tropy's energy balls. Boosters (such as Coco and Cortex) support the team by capturing Gems for score multipliers or collecting Relics to activate map perks, with abilities like Coco's Quantum Walls being used to deter pursuers. The roles are flexible and allow players to adapt, though fulfilling role-specific duties shortens ability cooldowns. Gems are platforms that, when captured, boost Wumpa Fruit deposits. Relics are scattered items that can be used at Relic Stations to unlock power-ups. Items provided by common Relic Stations grant minor perks such as jump pads. Each map contains one Epic Relic Station that requires more relics than standard stations and provides map-specific power-ups such as Uka Uka's asteroids or TNT drones. The game's maps feature unique hazards and layouts that encourage platforming skills and strategic routes. Each of the characters has a unique moveset tied to their appearances in the Crash Bandicoot series, such as Crash's spin and Cortex's ray gun. Players pre-select a Power per match, which charges during play. Examples of Powers include a Wumpa Stash that grants bonus Wumpa Fruit or a Gasmoxian Guard that acts as area denial. Players can attack enemies to disrupt scoring, using character-specific moves or environmental hazards. Blocking involves guarding banks or knocking Wumpa Fruit from opponents, who drop Wumpa Fruit when hit or knocked into pits. Characters cannot be swapped mid-match. The game includes a tutorial and detailed move menu, and features cross-platform play.

On October 7, 2022, Activision delivered a package to influencers consisting of a pizza box with an attached receipt announcing the release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time via Steam on October 18. A message at the bottom of the receipt teased the announcement of a new Crash Bandicoot title on December 8, the date of the Game Awards 2022. At the awards ceremony, Crash Team Rumble was announced via a debut trailer, with a projected 2023 release for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It is the latest Crash Bandicoot title to be developed by Toys for Bob after Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. Dan Neil was the game's creative director. Amber Long, Dev Madan and Josh Nadelberg served as the game's art directors. Toby Schadt and Brent Gumns Hostrawser were the respective design and engineering directors. The game was produced by Matt Copeland, Maria Rosseau, Scot Tumlin, Elena Morillo-Peterson, and Peter Kavic. The sound was designed by Jason Bowers and Joshua Jones, and the music was designed by Stephan Vankov. Mandy Benanav served as the writer. The game includes the five playable characters from Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and retained their movesets but had "softened metrics" such as easier jumps to accommodate multiplayer dynamics. The environmental dangers were also reduced compared to the precise, challenging platforming of Crash 4. Toys for Bob ensured movement matched the fluidity of a AAA platformer, despite the shift to multiplayer. Balancing the heroes' movesets for competitive play was complex and was informed by data from an open beta. Player feedback was largely positive and aligned with expectations, though the game's unique competitive platforming style surprised some fans. Neil contrasted Crash Team Rumble from the series' previous multiplayer spin-offs in its emphasis on the platforming that defines the main series, which was blended with competitive play. Activision Blizzard provided guidance but allowed Toys For Bob creative freedom, respecting their reputation for quality and fun. The studio's experience with Call of Duty informed Crash Team Rumbles development, inspiring the team's content roadmap approach to development beyond the game's first season. On March 21, 2023, Activision announced a closed beta release from April 20 to 24 for those who pre-ordered the game, with a full release following on June 20. The game was released in standard and deluxe editions; the standard edition includes a battle pass for the first season, while the deluxe edition includes an additional battle pass for the second season, a 25-tier instant unlock for the first season, and a pack of cosmetic skins and equipment. The first season, which ran from June 20 to September 11, introduced Doctor N. Gin and Ripper Roo as playable characters. The second season introduced Party Mode, a co-operative mode consisting of five selectable challenges, as well as two new maps, a new power-up, and the playable character Ripto from Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!. The third and final season, which launched December 7, introduced Spyro and Elora from the Spyro series as playable characters as well as maps based on the Artisans' Home and Summer Forest from the same series. Toys for Bob announced its impending spin-off from Activision on February 29, 2024. The same day, an in-game message announced the game's final update would release on March 4 and include the content from all previous seasons. Crash Team Rumble was Toys for Bob's last game under Activision before its independence.