Sony did not actually sell Crash Bandicoot. The franchise was initially owned by Universal Interactive Studios, not Sony. However, Sony played a significant role in the success of Crash Bandicoot as it was developed exclusively for the original PlayStation console.
Back in the 1990s, Sony was actively looking to create a mascot character that could rival the popular characters from Nintendo, like Mario and Sonic. They approached Universal Interactive Studios, who then tasked developer Naughty Dog with creating a character that could fulfill this role. And thus, Crash Bandicoot was born.
The first Crash Bandicoot game was released in 1996, and it became an instant hit, showcasing the capabilities of the PlayStation console and establishing Crash as a recognizable character in the gaming industry. Sony’s involvement with Crash Bandicoot continued through the release of subsequent games in the series, including Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped.
However, in the early 2000s, Universal Interactive Studios decided to sell off the Crash Bandicoot franchise. Activision, a well-known video game publisher, acquired the rights to Crash Bandicoot from Universal. This marked the end of Sony’s direct involvement with the franchise.
Under Activision’s ownership, Crash Bandicoot continued to see new releases, including games for various platforms such as the Xbox and GameCube. The franchise has also undergone a reboot with the release of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy in 2017, which remastered the original trilogy of games for the PlayStation 4.
While Sony played a significant role in the success of Crash Bandicoot by developing the character exclusively for the PlayStation console, they did not sell the franchise. Universal Interactive Studios owned the franchise initially, and it was later sold to Activision in the early 2000s.