Spyro the Dragon could be coming back, if a new leak from the social media profile of a former game developer is any indication. Although Spyro the Dragon returned in late 2018 with the launch of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, the iconic purple dragon has not seen any new releases from Activision or Toys for Bob ever since.
The first Spyro the Dragon game was originally launched on the PlayStation in September 1998. Two sequels, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage and Spyro: Year of the Dragon, were released, respectively, in 1999 and 2000. The Spyro games were initially developed by Insomniac Games, though other studios like Eurocom and Krome Studios worked on the franchise throughout the 2000s before Toys for Bob took over in 2018. Toys for Bob’s three most recent game releases were Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, and Crash Team Rumble. A majority of Spyro games that have been released were 3D platforming titles that saw the titular purple dragon glide and charge his way through various obstacles, or set enemies aflame with his fiery breath. Spyro is widely considered one of the most memorable PlayStation mascots, alongside characters like Crash Bandicoot.
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Former Toys for Bob Staffer’s Profile Gives Spyro Fans Hope
Although rumors about a potential Spyro project should be taken with a fine grain of salt, a recently discovered LinkedIn profile could offer a glimmer of hope to fans. According to a December 23 YouTube video by content creator Canadian Guy Eh, the LinkedIn page for Donald Yatomi, who worked as a senior concept artist at Toys for Bob from 2022 to 2024, listed the Spyro and Call of Duty franchises as their main contributions during his time there. Before arriving at Toys for Bob, Yatomi worked for Sony subsidiary Bend Studio for over a decade, serving as a principal concept artist and as the art director for the 2019 action title Days Gone. Some of Yatomi’s listed specialties on his profile include art direction for video game environments and character designs. Yatomi was laid off from Toys for Bob in early 2024. It is worth noting that, while Toys for Bob became an independent studio in February 2024, Yatomi’s tenure began while the studio was still a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard.
Additionally, Toys for Bob’s independence came months after Microsoft’s controversial buyout of Activision Blizzard was finalized, with an estimated total of $68.7 billion spent during the acquisition. Despite becoming an independent studio after the fact, Toys for Bob later entered into an agreement with Xbox Game Studios in May 2024 to develop a new game. However, Toys for Bob has remained silent on social media about their next project.
When Could the Next Spyro Game Be Shown Off?
While speculative, one possible window that could show off the next Spyro game is not that far off. An Xbox Developer Direct is planned to go live sometime in January 2026, according to Xbox Game Studios President Matt Booty. While the contents of the next Xbox Developer Direct are being largely kept under wraps by Microsoft, Booty claimed that Xbox has new 2026 game information that could take more than one episode to cover entirely. The only confirmed studio that will be shown during the next Xbox broadcast is Playground Studios, the developers of the Forza Horizon and Fable series. However, no additional information about Xbox’s plans was revealed.
