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Naughty Dog Co-Founders Reflect on Crash Bandicoot's 3D Gaming Pioneering

WireByte Staff · July 12, 2026

Naughty Dog co-founders Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin discuss their decision to create 3D games, leading to the development of Crash Bandicoot, a pioneering title in the character platform action genre. The game's success marked a turning point for the studio, which would later go on to create the Uncharted series. The duo's transition to 3D gaming was influenced by the success of other genres, such as racing and fighting games, which had already made the transition.

Key points

  • Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, co-founders of Naughty Dog, invested their own money to develop the 3D game Way of the Warrior in 1993 and 1994.
  • The duo sold the rights to Way of the Warrior to Universal Studios and moved to LA, where they decided to create a 3D character platform action game.
  • Crash Bandicoot was developed in 1994 and released in 1996, marking a turning point for Naughty Dog and the character platform action genre.
  • The game's success led to the creation of the Uncharted series and Naughty Dog's rise to prominence in the gaming industry.
  • Gavin and Rubin's decision to transition to 3D gaming was influenced by the success of other genres, such as racing and fighting games.

In a recent interview, Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, co-founders of Naughty Dog, reflected on their decision to create 3D games, which led to the development of Crash Bandicoot. The game's success marked a turning point for the studio, which would later go on to create the Uncharted series.

Gavin and Rubin's transition to 3D gaming was influenced by the success of other genres, such as racing and fighting games, which had already made the transition. They invested their own money to develop the 3D game Way of the Warrior in 1993 and 1994, selling the rights to Universal Studios and moving to LA.

In LA, Gavin and Rubin decided to create a 3D character platform action game, which would become Crash Bandicoot. The game was developed in 1994 and released in 1996, marking a turning point for Naughty Dog and the character platform action genre.

The game's success led to the creation of the Uncharted series and Naughty Dog's rise to prominence in the gaming industry. Gavin and Rubin's decision to transition to 3D gaming was a key factor in the studio's success, and their legacy continues to shape the gaming industry today.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.