Toys for Bob is about to start a grand and exciting new era, breaking off from Activision Blizzard and Microsoft and venturing out on its own as an indie studio. Where earlier this year, the company’s future was uncertain amid layoffs and a physical office closure, it looks like Toys for Bob will now operate independently, though it’s not against partnering with Xbox on future projects.

Toys for Bob announced its intention to go independent as a studio in a press release on its website this week. According to the announcement, Toys for Bob plans to use this move to “return to [its] roots as a small and nimble studio.” Even so, it’s actively exploring collaboration with Microsoft on a new project set in what will likely be a new IP.

This is a big turnaround for Toys for Bob that makes its future seem a lot brighter. Earlier in February 2024, things looked a bit more dire as Toys for Bob faced alleged layoffs of around 86 employees and the closure of an office, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz. The word at the time was that Microsoft was cutting out redundancies following Activision Blizzard’s acquisition (which included Toys for Bob).

Obviously, it’s unlikely that Toys for Bob will work on Crash Bandicoot and Spyro again as an indie studio, but the group seems to have plans for what it wants to work on next. We’ll look forward to seeing what it looks like when Toys for Bob has something to show. Stay tuned for more details.