PlaySt... I mean, Xbox's own franchise, at least now that Activision was acquired in 2023, Spyro the Dragon has become something of a sleeper hit. At least if YouTube views are anything to go by.
Ironically, Spyro, which was originally created by Insomniac Games for PlayStation in the late 1990s, is now outperforming Insomniac's latest major project, Wolverine, on YouTube. Both trailers are performing extremely well. Wolverine alone has pulled in more than 6 million views, but it doesn't quite stack up to Spyro: A Realm Beyond, which has now raked in over 10 million views on its reveal trailer.
Of course, I am poking the bear a little here, and I do know YouTube views don't really equate to sales, but it is interesting to see just how popular Spyro remains. That's why it surprised me to learn that the game is also launching on PlayStation 5 and, to a lesser extent, Nintendo Switch 2.
It's one of several games whose multiplatform release has left me scratching my head. After Xbox declared that exclusives are back by locking down Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution, I couldn't help but wonder why titles like Senua, State of Decay 3, and especially Spyro weren't given the same treatment.
Spyro in particular feels like a game that could genuinely move hardware. Seeing just how well the reveal trailer has performed only reinforces that feeling.
I guess it's just confusing. I know Xbox wants to do more exclusives, and Sharma herself has said as much, but that also came with the asterisk that Xbox simply isn't in a healthy place right now. From the sounds of it, those additional exclusives will come as the business becomes healthier.
Back to Spyro, though, I think it is something Microsoft and Xbox should take notice of, though. Nostalgia is a fickle thing, and it does compound over time. Every year that passes, more people grow up with franchises like Spyro/Skylanders, Halo, and Gears of War, creating entirely new generations of fans alongside the ones who were there from the beginning.
That's why I think there's more value in these legacy franchises than Xbox sometimes realizes. When handled correctly, they don't just sell games; they remind people why they fell in love with gaming in the first place, whilst also presenting the opportunity to help ship hardware.
I do think, though, that Xbox needs to be more aggressive if it wants to regain momentum and win back fans. Otherwise, it risks what many will see as yet more mixed messaging at a time when the company needs a clear direction.
Maybe that's just how I see it, though. Let me know what you think in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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