Kicking Up a Fuss Works

So, the first thing I posted on this website has been rendered somewhat redundant less than a week after I posted it. Good, that'll show my worth as a freelance writer. Regardless, I'm honestly over the moon that Toys for Bob delayed Spyro: Reignited Trilogy by about a month and a half, with the game now seeing a November 13 release.

It was clear that this was not Activision's original plan. It seems as if the original reason for the September 21 release was because Activision didn't really wanna compete with the other games being released around October, such as a new Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Soul Calibre and Red Dead Redemption 2. This makes sense, for certain, but the fact that it was being released somewhat early given when development actually started implies the game wouldn't have received the polish it required. As it happens, this new date only really means Reignited Trilogy competes with Hitman 2.

Toys for Bob certainly believe so; the worrying lack of Spyro 3 footage we've seen remastered and the late stage we've reached before Spyro 2 was shown indicates that much. But, let's be honest, this isn't what swayed Activision to delay the release. I find it hard to believe that Activision would do this out of the goodness of its heart or care and concern for the developers—while it's clear Toys for Bob want to make a quality product, Activision's previous efforts indicate otherwise, as seen here.

No, the reason I think Activision acquiesced was because of the vocal and passionate backlash about the idea that the game would release unfinished and in poor condition. The fact the physical release wouldn't contain 2/3 of the actual product was a big red flag, coupled with the lack of footage from Spyro 3.

Now, I love Spyro 2. It's one of my favourite game of all time, as I've previously stated. The mere fact that this compilation was seemingly gonna half-arse it, along with the third installment, made me not wanna pick it up. No joke, I genuinely cancelled my preorder and intended not to buy it anymore. (Side-note, if a game does not show you full unedited gameplay in its trailers, DO NOT PREORDER IT, PRO TIP).

I also appreciate the justification given by the developer, another key sign which indicates the passion and pride Toys for Bob have in this project.

"Everyone here at Toys for Bob is so proud to be reigniting the original Spyro trilogy after all these years. We're deeply committed to getting these games right, so we’ve decided to move the release date of Spyro Reignited Trilogy to November 13, 2018. I really hoped that you would be rescuing dragons and scorching Rhynocs sooner, but the Trilogy needs more love and care. In November when you’re exploring the Dragon Realms, Avalar and the Forgotten Worlds, we know you’ll agree the extra time was worth the wait." - PAUL YAN

Frankly, this almost sounds like a sigh of relief, implying the team behind the game can breathe and work properly on the game without rushing, overly stressing or veering into the dreaded "Crunch Time" period. The game still has yet to go gold, which indicates the game still isn't actually ready to ship, so the delay is certainly for the best.

So, why the seemingly unrelated title to this little think-piece? Simple; if Activision had gotten its way, we would be playing an underwhelming Reignited Trilogy in September. They have a worrying record of not actually listening to or caring about fan outcries and other such external factors. That is, when they think they can get away with it. So, what did we do?

We showed them they can't.

We made videos talking about how stupid it is. We took to forums to discuss the blatant consumer unfriendliness. We cancelled our preorders and organised boycotts to vote with our wallets. And I have no doubt that, because there was such a large outcry to this, Activision couldn't bury their head in the sand and power on regardless. They had to accept the fact that these actions would've caused irreparable damage to the Spyro name and their future endeavours with the character, and that this game would forever be shrouded in distrust and bad press.

We have the power to change the industry's business practices. And changing them in this direction creates a better industry and environment for developers, consumers and, believe it or not, publishers.

Keep spitting that fire, y'all.