When is Crash Ocho?

The next Crash Bandicoot game has fondly been called, by fans, The Ocho. Crash Ocho is basically Crash 8 if you follow the naming conventions of previous Crash platformers (particularly in Japan):

1. Crash Bandicoot
2. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
3. Crash Bandicoot 3: WARPED
4. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex
5. Crash: Twinsanity
6. Crash of the Titans
7. Crash: Mind Over Mutant

But when the heck will it release?

Back in December, 2019, fans speculated the game would be announced at the Game Awards. It felt like the perfect time to do so after the high success that Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (CTR) enjoyed over the previous six month period. Alas, no Crash game was announced, leaving everyone to wonder what was going on.

Now, the general consensus is that a new Crash game will be coming in 2020, but I've been thinking about this and wonder if that will actually be the case. After all, CTR was release just last year and with CTR's release on PC imminant, it feels like CTR's PC port is likely to release this year, not a new Crash game. That's likely to be in June, if we follow the track record of Crash's releases and ports since the N.Sane Trilogy's release.

So what does that mean for The Ocho? Well, I suspect an announcement will likely happen this year, but a release next year. With new PlayStation and XBox console generations on the horizon, it feels like The Ocho's release may be held back for launch on those consoles. Given PlayStation's history with Crash, it may even make sense they will go for one-year exclusivity on it too, much like they did with the N.Sane Trilogy, as I do feel Sony has refound their love for the bandicoot if their commercials are anything to go by.

That means CTR PC in June 2020, announcement later in the year, then The Ocho released next year. Depending on the console releases, it could even be the end of this year. That's my guess, anyway!

What's Left for CTR

CTR's Grand Prixes feel like they're wrapping up, now. To be honest, it's more than I dared even hope for. Back at the start of the GPs, I thought there would only be three, which may have been extended based on their success. Now on its 7th GP, Rustland, we have received a good chunk of the Crash cast from games old and new, from Brio all the way to Yaya Panda. Heck, even the current Rustland GP gave us Megamix and I never thought that would even be possible (he's not a character as such, more like a mix... a mega... mix). With just one new character this GP, a whole bunch of skins for the original eight racers and no new roadmap for future GPs, I think it's highly possible there will only be a couple more GPs at most. I even feel like Rustland is an additional, unplanned one, to be honest.

As for what the next GP's theme will be... space has been thrown around as a concept, so it will likely be that. There are still a few characters left to put in, but I can only see Twinsanity's Evil Twins working in that theme. Still, I look forward to the results!