Exclusive: An Update On The Skylanders Situation (Patreon)

Late last year, I brought you the news that the latest entry in the toys to life series, Skylanders, had reportedly been cancelled. The game was planned to come out in 2017, but was axed by Activision due to declining sales. The future of Toys For Bob, the creators of Skylanders, was cast into uncertainty. Since then, I have continued to reach out to former and current associates of the Activision and Toys For Bob to see what they had to say about the unfolding situation.

For anyone hoping that Skylanders and Toys For Bob could yet survive, the news is not good. One source I have spoken to claims that the TFB offices are next to empty right now, as the studio is seemingly preparing to be dismantled. Multiple sources have suggested that the studio will be closing in the near future and an official statement from Activision is expected early this year.

I was able to ascertain in the making of my previous video that Toys For Bob had nothing in development at that time. The same remains true today. They have not pitched any further projects and their only remaining duties have been providing the final post-release patches for Skylanders Imaginators, the most recent entry in the series and final nail in its coffin.

Toys For Bob's anticipated closure will arrive around 27 years after it first opened its doors in 1989. Some staff have already left, searching for new opportunities.

Activision is continuing to cut down on their remaining support for the Skylanders IP, which they currently plan to end in its entirety. One source suggested that merchandising plans have been dialed back and another claims that Activision is already making preparations to pull out of their deal with Netflix to continue producing Skylanders Academy, the recently launched animated series.

It remains to be seen what will happen to Skylanders Academy at this juncture.  A second season of the show is in development as per their two season contract, but Activision is currently attempting to shut it down. Its future will depend entirely upon how negotiations between Netflix and Activision pan out. Either way, it is very unlikely that further seasons will be comissioned if the second one is somehow able to survive.

If the situation changes, I will be the first to update you on it.

- Liam