A brand new look at Spyro: A Realm Beyond has been shown off for the game’s 28th anniversary.
The legendary purple dragon is finally making his return after being absent for nearly 20 years. Outside of a collection of remakes in 2018, Spyro hasn’t had a brand new standalone adventure since 2008, but he will make his grand return next year. To celebrate the franchise’s 28th anniversary, Activision has revealed a new look at the game with some artwork of a key location in Spyro: A Realm Beyond.
The artwork depicts one of the earliest regions players will explore, Arcadian Vale. The location is a calm, serene, and vibrant plane for Spyro to soar through. It’s filled with ancient-looking stone structures, waterfalls, and sprawling grassy vistas.
“From curious critters to cheerful fodder creatures, no detail of Arcadian Vale is too small,” reads an excerpt from a blog post about the new location. “Every corner captures the same sense of warmth, whimsy, and personality that fans have come to love and expect from Spyro and his universe. The Toys for Bob team have paid special attention to creating a charming world that feels inviting at every scale, all the way down to its smallest inhabitants.”
Developer Toys for Bob also took this anniversary as an opportunity to thank fans for their passion for Spyro over the years. The studio also created a birthday cake, which featured a new look at Spyro and his supporting cast in A Realm Beyond.
“Your unwavering enthusiasm, passion, and creativity have helped to keep Spyro soaring through the years,” Toys for Bob said. “Whether you’ve been here since the original trilogy, revisiting favorite moments in the Reignited Trilogy, sharing fan art, creating content, or introducing new players to Spyro’s world, this community has always been at the heart of the franchise.”
Spyro was a staple of the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with the likes of Crash Bandicoot. The two emerged as iconic platforming legends and both were created by teams that would go on to become prestigous PlayStation-owned studios. Crash Bandicoot was created by Naughty Dog, while Spyro was molded by Insomniac Games. Both franchises eventually got handed off to different developers, before being acquired by Activision in 2008.
Cade Onder
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
