Spyro’s Return: A Journey from the Depths of Call of Duty to a Triumphant Comeback

As Microsoft begins to realize that its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard might not have been the best financial move, it turns out that one of the studios included in the deal seized the chance to break free. In a chat with an outlet, Toys for Bob studio head Paul Yan shared that the merger allowed the team to “take back creative control of the kinds of projects that we can focus on.”

Toys for Bob has a rich history of creating games that you might find tucked away in a bargain bin at a store back in 2003. After being acquired by Activision in 2005, the studio became known for the Skylanders series, which featured a variety of collectible “toys-to-life” figures. They also contributed to the latest Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon titles, keeping these beloved PS2-era platforming icons alive. However, being part of Activision often meant that Toys for Bob was called upon to assist with larger projects from other developers.

“One of the changes at the company was that there was a corporate mandate to support the large blockbuster IPs – Warzone, Modern Warfare, Overwatch 2, just to name a few,” Yan explained.

This shift led to Toys for Bob becoming the subject of community jokes about the studio known for its whimsical platformers being sent to work on online shooters. While Yan acknowledged that working on such diverse games was a valuable learning experience, he also noted that it diverted the team from the projects they were truly passionate about. To return to their roots, Toys for Bob approached Microsoft’s leadership with a proposal to buy the studio out and establish it as an independent entity. Yan stated that the aim was to “get back to the games we were known for, and also to preserve the tight-knit team, and all the long tenure that we’ve built up over the years.”

The studio officially parted ways with Activision in 2024, and now we’re witnessing the exciting outcome of Toys for Bob’s newfound freedom with the announcement of Spyro: A Realm Beyond.