Naughty Dog founder speaks on losing Crash Bandicoot and “abysmal” Universal Interactive partnership
Naughty Dog founder Jason Rubin has discussed the studio’s departure from the Crash Bandicoot franchise, revealing significant tensions with the game’s former publisher Universal Interactive. Speaking at The Game Business Live with host Chris Dring, Rubin described the relationship as “abysmal,” offering candid insight into the challenges behind one of gaming’s most iconic series.
Rubin acknowledged the emotional difficulty of leaving the franchise he helped create, stating it was “extremely hard to say goodbye to Crash.” He illustrated the severity of the partnership’s deterioration with a striking anecdote: a Universal Interactive employee had placed a target on the office wall—one that had been shot with actual bullets—and directed it toward Andy Gavin, Naughty Dog’s co-founder, as an apparent intimidation tactic.
The comments provide rare transparency into the business disputes that led to Naughty Dog’s exit from the series. Following the split, Crash has changed hands multiple times, with various studios developing subsequent entries. Rubin’s remarks underscore the sometimes turbulent relationship between creative studios and publishers, particularly during an era when intellectual property disputes were increasingly contentious. The anecdote suggests the partnership involved not just creative disagreements but genuine hostility. Naughty Dog has since established itself as a premier PlayStation developer through franchises including The Last of Us and Uncharted.