UPDATE: Toys For Bob have announced they are supporting development of Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3; while Activision denies allegations of layoffs, and will continue supporting Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
Activision have provided us this statement via email:
“Reports of layoffs at Toys For Bob are incorrect. There has not been a reduction in personnel recently at the studio. The development team is operating fully and has a number of full-time job openings at this time. The studio is excited to continue supporting Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, and more recently provide additional development support to Call of Duty: Warzone.”
Original story continues below:
Toys For Bob have announced they are supporting development of Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3, amid alleged layoffs and fears of no more Crash Bandicoot or Spyro games.
Toys For Bob tweeted on April 29th how they were “proud to support development for Season 3 of Call of Duty #Warzone, and look forward to more to come.” Despite a warm welcome by Raven Software, there were sign of recent lay-offs.
Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time character designer Nicholas Kole tweeted a pensive face and waving goodbye, adding “It’s the end of an era, but I wish my former coworkers still with TFB all the best with what’s ahead!”
When replying to another Twitter user discussing how its good the team still has some work, Kole revealed more about the layoffs. “Same! Altho everyone I interfaced with and worked along was let go, I’m very glad it’s not a totally shuttering.”
Parent company Activision Blizzard had reportedly laid off nearly 190 employees (50 from their e-sports division), and less than 2% of their total workforce. Severance packages reportedly included $200 Battle.net Gift Card.
Call of Duty Warzone creative director Amos Hodge told VGC in an earlier interview “I can tell you we’ve been hiring like crazy at Raven. All the studios are helping on it, but it’s also additional to our normal Call of Duty schedule.”
Hodge explained “We have a normal Call of Duty schedule and this is on top of that, so we’ve had to grow really fast.” VGC journalist Andy Robinson tweeted that he had been told “virtually every studio at Activision is now working on Call of Duty.”
Activision Blizzard seem to be fluctuating between layoffs and successes; including making $1.95 billion USD in revenue in Q3 2020, and seeking to hire 2,000 people to meet production demand. Activision Blizzard have also seen investments from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund (making them one of the largest share holders), and controversial billionaire George Soros.
At this time of writing “Crash and Spyro” is also trending; with many lamenting as they believe Toys for Bob will end up permanently working as a supporting developer on Call of Duty games, and likely will not see another Crash Bandicoot or original Spyro game by them again.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available and free-to-play on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The game is also part of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), and Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War.
