Is Skylanders Making a Comeback in 2025?
Skylanders: Animal Riders is the tenth Skylanders game, scheduled for release on October 4th, 2025. It will be available on platforms including PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX Series X, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch. This installment is published by Activision and developed by XPEC Entertainment, Toys for Bob, Beenox, Vicarious Visions, and Imaginator Studios.
Notably, this is the last Skylanders installment that will be available on PlayStation 4 and XBOX ONE. Upon its release, Activision will introduce their own interpretations of all Riders (except for Rodeoactive, Boom Jet, Jokeless Master, Dino-Rang, Smolderdash, Zoo Lou, Gemshine, Enigma, Boomer, Rider, and Gill Grunt) and most Animals (excluding Torrobot and Fright).
Additionally, Skylanders: Rune Rangers is an unofficial fangame created by ZapNorris, set to launch worldwide on September 6th, 2024.
Moreover, Imaginite Part Sets, Creation Crystals, Creation Clash, Gride Challenges, Snail Challenges, Imaginate Chests, and Gong Challenges (now referred to as Bell Challenges) are set to return from the previous game, Imaginators.
Exploring the Future of Skylanders: Shapeshifters and Beyond
Exploring the Future of Skylanders: Shapeshifters and Beyond
The upcoming releases in the Skylanders franchise present exciting opportunities for both new and returning fans. Here are key details on current and future titles:
- Skylanders: Return to Skylands
- Release Year: 2024
- Publisher: Activision
- Developer(s): Toy for Bob (PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX) and Beenox (Switch, Luna, and Windows)
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows
- New Skylander Type: Imaginite Hunters
- Main Antagonist: Kaos
- Skylanders: Imaginators Legends
- Release Year: 2024
- Publisher: Activision
- Developer: WayForward Technologies
- Platforms: iOS, Android, and PlayStation Transporter
- Skylanders: Dimension Squad
- Release Year: 2025
- Main Publisher: Activision
- Co-Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation versions only) and Xbox Game Studios (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Microsoft Windows versions only)
- Developer(s): Imaginator Studios (PS5 and XSX), Activision Shanghai Studio (PS4 and Xbox One), Toys for Bob (Switch and Luna), Beenox (Microsoft Windows), and WayForward Technologies (iOS, Android, and PlayStation Transporter)
- New Skylander Type: Dimension Squad
- Main Antagonist: Heartbreaker Buckshot
- Skylanders Remastered Collection There have been rumors regarding Activision reviving the Skylanders franchise for quite some time. According to some blogs, the release date for HD remasters of the first three games (Spyro’s Adventure, Giants, and Swap Force) is anticipated around 2024. These remasters would not require figures to play, unlike the original versions.
- Skylanders: ShapeShifters
- Release Year: 2024
- 7th game in the Skylanders series, following Skylanders: Imaginators.
- Each element contains: 2 New ShapeShifters, 1 New Reformed Villain, 2 New Cores, 2 Reposed Skylander, 1 LightCore, and 2 Minis (Toxic Mystic).
Additionally, it seems like someone on the Skylanders subreddit has sparked further interest. A user claims to have received an Activision Blizzard survey asking if they would be interested in a Skylanders companion title.
This survey might simply be for research purposes and doesn’t imply anything. However, there could be potential developments in the future of the franchise.
What Caused the Hiatus of the Skylanders Series?
Skylanders has been on hiatus since 2016, with no new games or figures released by Activision since then. While the franchise has not been officially canceled, there are currently no public plans for its continuation. The last main installment, ‘Skylanders Imaginators,’ was released in 2016, marking the decline of the series.
The franchise began to face challenges as the toys-to-life market became saturated with competitors like Disney Infinity and LEGO Dimensions. Consequently, this led to a decline in sales. Additionally, the production costs associated with manufacturing the physical toys contributed to these challenges. There was also a noticeable shift in consumer interest towards digital-only content and free-to-play models.
Despite its initial success, Skylanders had to compete with numerous pretenders towards the end of its life. By releasing over 30 figures every year, Skylanders became a significant financial investment for collectors, comparable to most collectible card games. Activision pressured developers to release yearly games, allowing them to sell new Skylanders with minor differences at higher prices. However, consumers were reluctant to invest in toys-to-life products every year. A single year was generally insufficient time to develop an engaging game.
Following the release of ‘Imaginators’, speculation surrounded a seventh console installment. Future projects within the ‘Skylanders’ universe were limited to the mobile game titled ‘Ring of Heroes’, which was ultimately closed in 2022. Meanwhile, consumer interest in the series diminished over time. The general sentiment was that the toys-to-life genre had been overexploited in the gaming industry, leading to the conclusion that the series had run its course.
Furthermore, there have been no announcements for a mainline Skylanders series since the update of Imaginators and the Switch release in 2017. Ultimately, while the franchise is not necessarily dead, it was put on hiatus due to the shift towards other IPs from Activision’s library and the game’s overall revenue challenges.
