A redesigned 90s icon… Spyro: Realms Beyond is the new game starring the purple dragon, announced at tonight's Xbox Game Showcase. It is the first original Spyro title since 2008 and is being developed by California studio Toys for Bob. The game will be released in spring 2027 on Xbox, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Spyro Returns with Fresh Design and Flight Mechanics
The game features a freshly redesigned Spyro with his trademark quiff, voiced by Tom Kenny, the original star of the games. Unlike in the original Spyro titles, players will be able to take flight at any time. Creative director Lou Studdert explains: 'We are leaning into the true capabilities of being a dragon. It's really engaging … the player is making decisions how they fly. They are diving down to sustain speed. They are using fire-breath to light campfires, to create an updraft to get lift before flapping their wings.'
Toys for Bob Brings Experience from Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Toys for Bob previously developed the well-received Spyro Reignited Trilogy remaster in 2018, as well as the popular 2010s toy-and-game series Skylanders, which started as a Spyro spin-off. The studio has since become independent, and longtime boss Paul Yan expressed enthusiasm for returning to the kind of welcoming, whimsical games the developer is 'most passionate about, and that were best known for.' Yan said: 'These are games that are positive, optimistic, joyful experiences that are developed and centred around colourful characters in handcrafted worlds, and we like developing games for broad audiences… games that appeal to the inner child in all gamers.'
The original Spyro developer was Insomniac Games, now working on Marvel's Wolverine under Sony. Toys for Bob aims to appeal to both nostalgic fans and a new generation of players. Yan noted: 'We wanted to make sure that this is a welcoming entry point for all players: young, old, those familiar with the game or the franchise and those new to it as well.'
Colourful family-friendly platform games like Spyro were more common in the 90s than today. Yan believes the game's optimistic tone is needed: 'Tonally, Spyro is something that the world needs very much … A game that is full of optimism and positivity. It's our studio mission to inspire love, joy and laughter in the games that we make. And if the tide is turning and the trends are putting a spotlight on that, we're all for it.'
