It was widely reported recently that the Activision/Microsoft conglomerate had shut down several studios, resulting in the loss of numerous jobs. However, following these recent developments, one studio has boldly decided to leave behind its well-known assets, allowing it to return to being an independent studio once more.
First formed in 1989 by Paul Freiche III and Fred Ford, the Toys for Bob studio created the Star Control and Skylanders franchises, but they may be best known for their work on the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon franchises. Although Freiche and Ford decided to leave the studio in 2020 for new pastures, the stewardship of Paul Yan and Avery Lodato has seen the studio transition onto a more stable footing.
Escaping From Activision And Microsoft
The studio took to Social Media site X to officially announce that they are independent, with the post being viewed over 260 thousand times (at the time of writing). The following comments were full of praise on the decision and well wishes towards the studio’s future.
Let's make it official: we're now independent! pic.twitter.com/9uE4PVxKO3
— Toys For Bob (@ToysForBob) May 29, 2024
The studio has no doubt breathed a huge sigh of relief now that they no longer have the threat of being shut down hanging over them. Despite having to hand over the IPs for their well-known franchises to ‘buy‘ their freedom, many could view it as a small price to pay for the studio’s and its employees’ longevity.
With their newfound independence, many fans will be looking forward to what happens next with the studio. Indeed, many of the comments on Social Media were hopeful that the studio would be re-addressing the Skylanders series. Could this be something that we could see them working on in the future? Time will tell.
What Does The Future Hold For The Newly Independent Studio?
It has been widely rumored that the studio is working on a game that is owned by Microsoft, so reading between the lines this could potentially be Spyro 4. At the time of writing, there is no confirmation from either studio or publisher but it would make sense for this to be the direction they are taking.
Whilst there was perhaps significant doubt about whether it was the right decision to leave the IPs for some of its greatest assets, the fact that the studio is now free from the Activision/Microsoft overlords and has its independence perhaps speaks volumes.
With all the acquisitions that the publisher has been making of late and the subsequent closures of studios, going back to being an independent studio will no doubt be viewed by many as the correct decision. With numerous well wishes from fans, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the studio.
What are your thoughts on these latest developments? What do you anticipate the un-named game to be? Get in touch, leave us a comment and let us know what you think.
