A Realm Beyond Sees The ’90s Purple Dragon Make A Big Comeback

“When we built the game, we were really focused on what makes for a good Spyro game, and that comes with the fluidity of movement, the ability to interact with the environment to have this kind of zen-like momentum as you explore,” said studio head Paul Yan. “That was something that we started with as sacred to Spyro, which is what makes Spyro unique, and we wanted to add that into a whole new dimension, and so now you’re gonna be doing that both on the ground and in the skies, and Spyro: A Realm Beyond has been developed with this notion. We also think this is a great entry point for new players, but it is also developed with fans in mind, and the legacy of Spyro in our hearts.” 

Previously, developer Toys for Bob worked on remasters and remakes of classic games, along with giving Crash Bandicoot a more fulfilling 4th installment with Crash 4: It’s About Time. However, following the merger between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft, Toys For Bob served as a support studio for other games, including Overwatch 2 and the Call of Duty series. While the devs credit their time supporting other titles for expanding their skill set, they expressed eagerness to jump back into making their own games.

Toys for Bob/Activision Publishing

One of the core details that the developers stated during their presentation on the game was that Spyro: A Realm Beyond will really focus on what it means to play as a dragon. While the previous games certainly leaned into that with Spyro’s journey of becoming an experienced explorer and embracing his powers, the next game will take things further by opening the world up a bit more, offering more opportunities for players to explore and seamlessly moving between ground and aerial gameplay.

“We’re not ready to get into the details of the scope of the game, but what I’ll say is that with dragon flight, the whole premise of this whole journey with A Realm Beyond is in how we combine those two desperate, disparate experiences of exploration and flight,” stated Yan during the presentation. “You could have that freedom, and there’s a bunch of cascading answers that kind of flow out of that once you enable that kind of freedom, and the environment itself has to be shaped in order to support that experience, so that’s just a little glimpse of what we’re doing in order to support that type of movement.”

During the presentation, the developers stated that the biggest focus for A Realm Beyond is ensuring that the game was engaging for both newcomers to the series, but also a worthy follow-up for returning fans. The original trilogy is still well-regarded, especially with the Reignited Trilogy, and A Realm Beyond will see the return of Tom Kenny, the original voice-over performer for Spyro, to bring that same energy and vibe from the classic games.

Toys for Bob/Activision Publishing

A Realm Beyond turned out to be one of the more exciting reveals from the Xbox Games Showcase, and it shows that there’s still potential for the purple dragon to make another comeback. With the tease of a larger, more seamless world to explore, and with plenty more baddies to fight, A Realm Beyond looks to have a solid concept on how to give the classic character a well-deserved return to the spotlight.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set for release sometime in spring 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.