Spyro: A Realm Beyond’s Flight Mechanics, Larger Levels Get New Details

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is the next main entry in the Spyro series, and the first original Spyro game since 2008. Now, we know more of how it will work.

Speaking to ComingSoon’s Tyler Treese in a recent interview, developer Toys for Bob’s Chief Creative Officer and Studio Head, as well as Associate Creative Director Paul Yan and Lou Studdert, opened up about the new game. Published by Activision, it will release in 2027 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S.

When it comes to the new Spyro game, one of the biggest changes will be the fact that Spyro can now fly around like a proper dragon. Previously, he had been limited to just gliding through areas, but now he’ll be moving much more freely. According to Yan, finding the right balance of that was tough, as they wanted to make the flying feel like an extension of the platforming ways of Spyro.

“The core of what we fell in love with with Spyro is the fluidity of his movement. That includes running around, charging, finding these nice lines, jumping at the right time, and then gliding to points,” said Yan. “We want flight to be an extension of that. So now it’s a larger part of that kit and that active decision-making as you’re going through a space that is purposely built for this expanded kit. That’s how we kind of think about it.”

How will Spyro’s flight impact levels in A Realm Beyond?

As a result of the new flight mechanics, Yan said that levels will have a bit more verticality to them. “Once you get the ability to take off into flight at a moment’s notice, the needs for the vastness of the world suddenly grow tremendously. You also find that, as you’re able to climb, the verticality of it is super, super interesting.” He also mentioned that the addition of flight added new wrinkles to the game, as players will now naturally be curious to explore places they normally wouldn’t.

With larger levels comes more exploration. With that in mind, Studdert said that “exploration is a key tenet” to not only this game, but the Spyro series at large. “We want to make sure that you are scouring these environments for things that you need or want and want to collect. Obviously, gems are an absolutely foundational part of that.”

Yan also touched on the levels that will be in the game, and said the hope is players will get lost in them and want to explore. With Spyro now able to do much more, Yan said, he’s hoping to carry forward a core tenet of the series.

“We want you to feel great feeling lost and curious to explore. We want you to find every little nook and cranny in this world and be motivated and satisfied by doing that. That’s a core part of the Spyro experience for me, and I think that’s something that we carry forward in this one.”