- New Crash Bandicoot games have been the topic of speculation for the past year.
- Many fans expect a new game to be revealed at today’s PS5 event.
- If Sony is smart, they’ll use Crash nostalgia as a selling point for their next-gen console.
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) “reveal” event is mere hours away, and speculation continues to rage about how much of the console we’ll get to see – and what games Sony will announce. With all due respect to God of War, I’m most excited about a different franchise: Crash Bandicoot.
There have already been rumors that the orange marsupial would be returning to console soon. And a new merch leak suggests things are about to go off for Crash fans in a big way.
All signs point to a new Crash Bandicoot game featuring prominently in today’s PS5 event. If it doesn’t, it’ll be hard to see it as anything but a missed opportunity for Sony.
Crash Bandicoot Is a PlayStation Icon
For cynical gaming executives, nostalgia means one thing these days: big bucks.
And you don’t even need to look beyond Crash Bandicoot for evidence. The N.Sane Trilogy sold over 10 million copies. That’s more than a quarter of what the entire series had sold prior to its “comeback.”
That’s proof enough that Crash Bandicoot is a popular – and lucrative – IP. And considering that the franchise got its start with PlayStation, Sony would have to be mad not to leverage that nostalgia on the eve of the next console generation.
There’s reason to believe that’s exactly what Sony plans to do. On some of the leaked merch listings, the “License” field reads “PlayStation.” Either this is a typo, or Sony has made a huge deal with Activision.
It wouldn’t be that much of a shock. After all, Sony has already been using Crash prominently in PS4 promotional campaigns like this one:
The PS5 Could Win a Big Victory Here
If that “PlayStation” label on the leaked Crash Bandicoot merch listings is accurate – and means what we think it does – then it could signal a big coup for Sony.
Timed exclusivity deals have worked wonders for them in the past. Pulling out a big one for a brand-new Crash game would be huge.
Banking on nostalgia is almost always a guaranteed win. Reminding people of the heady days of the PS1 launch could really be to Sony’s advantage. Especially if they can tie it in with more than just a new Crash Bandicoot game to boot.
After all, we still have no idea what sort of editions of the PS5 itself we’ll see hit the shelves. Another PS1 themed console would probably be a hugely tempting offer for longtime fans. Especially if they can package an exclusive Crash Bandicoot title in with the console itself.
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