Legendary video game developer Toys For Bob rocked the industry Thursday by announcing plans to spin off from Activision Blizzard as an independent studio once again.
The news comes at a turbulent time for the games industry. Just last month, Microsoft laid off nearly 2,000 employees across its newly acquired Activision Blizzard studios and Xbox. Despite a strong financial performance, Rival Sony also made headlines by cutting jobs at its PlayStation division.
Toys For Bob has created some of the most iconic video game franchises over its 30+ year history, including Skylanders, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. Yet the studio feels now is the time to get back to its indie roots, according to studio heads Paul Yan and Avery Lodato.
“This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio so we can take the studio and our future games to the next level,” their statement read.
The timing coincides with Microsoft finalizing its $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard in January after an arduous 20-month regulatory review. Toys For Bob has operated under the Activision umbrella since being acquired in 2005.
Yan and Lodato said Activision, as well as new parent company Microsoft, have been “extremely supportive” of their decision to go solo again. In fact, Toys For Bob appears confident they will work together in the future. It is unclear if this is a tease for upcoming projects or a hopeful look at the future, but time will tell.
While details remain vague, Toys For Bob confirmed it’s in early development on a new IP featuring “new stories, new characters, and new gameplay experiences.” The studio’s physical office in Novato, California, has closed, and nearly 20% of its workforce was laid off earlier this year. But Yan and Lodato assured fans that, “We can’t wait to share updates on our new adventure as an indie studio!”
So, while the future is unclear, Toys For Bob seems confident that leaving Activision Blizzard behind will rekindle its creative spirit. Gamers eagerly await what magic this legendary studio will conjure up next on its own terms and can read the full statement on their website to get all the details.
