Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
PC Gamer
PC Gamer
Harvey Randall

After a 'corporate mandate' demanded they help with Call of Duty, Toys for Bob studio head says it took 'many mini miracles' to buy their independence from Activision

Toys for Bob Activision Call of Duty Paul Yan Microsoft
Spyro stares, determined, in Toys for Bob's upcoming Spyro game.

It's been a bit of a journey for Toys for Bob, the studio behind the very good Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, that's now making its own original Spyro game as an independent studio, as announced at the Xbox Games Showcase. Despite Reignited's smashing success selling over 11 million copies, Toys for Bob was shifted to be a support studio for Call of Duty: Warzone back in 2021, also lending a hand to Overwatch 2.

Then, in 2024, Microsoft laid off a whopping 1,900 people after acquiring Activision Blizzard, which caught 86 staff from the studio in the crossfire—the very next month, the studio announced it'd be going indie.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
French family finds rare Chinese vase in attic, takes it to Sotheby’s in shoebox; sells for €16.18m
An 18th-century Chinese porcelain vase, forgotten in a French family's attic, sold for €16.18 million at Sotheby’s Paris in 2018. The family brought it to the auction house in a shoebox, unaware of its value. Experts identified it as a rare imperial vase made for the Qianlong Emperor, and it…
The Times of India
The Times of India
Travis Barker shares Kourtney Kardashian’s bold first move: ‘Something crazy’
Couple were friends for 15 years before becoming a couple around 2020
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
‘My dog’s built her own fashion community’: how canine companions stole the fashion week spotlight
Our four-legged friends are turning heads from Louis Vuitton to Schiaparelli – but what does their presence in the most exclusive of spaces say about the industry’s changing attitudes?
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Mystery of why big dogs age faster than small ones finally solved
Researchers analyzed the health of more than 860 dogs
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
I'm Italian American, but I Don't Celebrate Columbus Day
The holiday brings out many of the worst excesses of identity politics.
Reason
Reason
WWE Star Stephanie Vaquer Sets Social Media Ablaze With Nude Photo Wearing Nothing but Her Championship Belt
WWE Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer has attracted widespread attention after sharing a revealing photograph featuring her title, days before defending it against Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play