adminSpyro: A Realm Beyond represents a return to the kind of colourful, all-ages games Toys for Bob says it wants to create. After working on major live-service titles including Warzone, Overwatch 2 and Modern Warfare, the studio is once again developing a new adventure starring Spyro, while operating as an independent company.
Spyro: A Realm Beyond marks a creative return
Toys for Bob is known for the Skylanders series, the 2018 Spyro Reignited Trilogy and 2020’s Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Studio head Paul Yan says the team recently celebrated 37 years in game development. During its time under Activision, the studio also contributed to larger franchises, including Call of Duty and Overwatch.
Yan says that work gave the team valuable experience, particularly in communication and remote collaboration. However, the studio wanted to refocus on games built around optimistic themes, expressive characters and handcrafted worlds designed to appeal to players of different ages.
In 2023, while Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard was underway, Toys for Bob proposed becoming independent and taking responsibility for its creative, organisational and financial direction. The plan also included developing a game in partnership with Activision. That project became Spyro: A Realm Beyond.
Image credit: Toys For Bob/Activision
How the independent studio is organised
The studio’s core team has roughly 50 people, with more than 400 combined years of experience working together, according to Yan. Toys for Bob plans to keep that core group steady and bring in external development support when a project needs additional resources.
Associate creative director Lou Studdert says the team’s long working relationships help shape its close-knit culture. The studio also intends to focus its developers on individual projects, rather than dividing attention across several initiatives. For players, a focused team can help maintain a consistent creative direction; for the studio, managing an independent business brings new responsibilities such as payroll and human resources.
Experience working remotely since 2020 helped the team adapt to its new structure. Yan says that established working practices made the transition easier on the development side, even as the company learned how to manage its operations independently.
What to expect from Spyro: A Realm Beyond
Development began around two years ago, although the idea started taking shape after the 2018 release of Spyro Reignited Trilogy. Studdert describes the project as the first original Spyro game in almost 20 years. The previous original entry was The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, released in 2008; Spyro has also appeared in the Skylanders games.
The new game is planned for release in spring 2027 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Switch 2 and PC. Its central gameplay change is a greater emphasis on flight. Instead of relying only on a limited glide, players will be able to take Spyro from the ground into the air whenever they choose.
Spyro can use his fiery breath to light campfires and create updrafts, while interacting with the environment to gain speed. The world has been designed around this movement, while retaining the exploration and fluid traversal that have been central to the series.
Image credit: Toys For Bob/Activision
Spyro: A Realm Beyond | Cinematic Announce Trailer
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A game for longtime fans and new players
The developers say the game is intended to welcome new players as well as people who grew up with the original series. The Reignited Trilogy introduced Spyro to younger audiences, while some longtime fans are now sharing the games with their own children. Original Spyro voice actor Tom Kenny is also returning for the new title.
Toys for Bob has heard continued interest from fans asking for another Spyro adventure. The studio sees the character as a lasting part of its creative identity and hopes the game will help establish a direction for future projects: colourful, optimistic experiences that can bring different generations together.
Why Spyro: A Realm Beyond matters to Toys for Bob
For Toys for Bob, Spyro: A Realm Beyond is more than a return to a familiar character. It is the first major expression of the independent studio’s renewed focus on joyful games, while giving the team a chance to build on its experience with the series. Players can expect more details about the adventure as its planned spring 2027 release approaches.
