Toys for Bob recently revealed that it has been working on a brand-new entry in the Spyro franchise, dubbed Spyro: A Realm Beyond. In an interview with XBOX Wire, studio head Paul Yan has revealed more details about the upcoming 3D platformer, including the fact that the eponymous protagonist will, for the first time, have no limits on how long he can fly. He also revealed that Spyro’s new flight capabilities were one of the reasons for his new design featuring bigger wings.
“Visually, we’ve made some subtle changes to suggest he’s grown since last we saw him – most notably, we’ve enhanced his wingspan so that he can be much more capable in flight,” explained Yan. “But this is absolutely the same Spyro you know and love, and that’s why we’re so thrilled to have Tom Kenny back to voice him! Tom’s performance delivers the plucky youthful courage that is such an important aspect of Spyro’s personality.”
As for just how capable Spyro will be in flight, Yan went on to reveal that, unlike previous games where he was only capable of gliding down from jumps or flying for short bursts, in Spyro: A Realm Beyond, Spyro is able to “take to the skies and own the airtime.”
“In Spyro: A Realm Beyond, Spyro will experience the freedom of true dragon flight,” said Yan. “He’s small, but mighty, so we had to do a lot of different experiments to explore how he could be both nimble and still be very physical when actively pushing his way through the air.”
Further in the interview, Yan also spoke about how the core design philosophy behind Spyro: A Realm Beyond revolves around giving players more options and freedom than any of the previous entries in the franchise have offered. The addition of full-fledged flight, he said, is a major addition to the series, and has led to the entire game being designed around the concept.
“For now, I can tell you that our biggest ambition in Spyro: A Realm Beyond is to give the player the freedom and fantasy of dragon flight – to be able to take the skies at a moment’s notice and make interesting and active decisions to flow through the spaces as you charge on the ground and now soar through the air,” he said. “This is such a significant addition to the game, and we’ve built a whole world around that promise.”
Spyro: A Realm Beyond was unveiled with a trailer over the weekend, giving us a look at the new title’s “strange and wonderous realm” where the dragon finds himself stranded. Along the way, the plucky hero will also have to deal with a new threat, referred to as Scavs, and to ultimately succeed, he will have to make new friends throughout his journey. Yan has confirmed that the title will feature an entirely new antagonist that will push the young dragon to “new emotional depths that will see Spyro grow as a hero”.
Spyro: A Realm Beyond is being developed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2, and is slated for release in 2027.
