2017 will be the first year since 2011 that will not see a new entry in the Skylanders franchise.
In today’s Activision Blizzard earnings call, the publisher revealed that there will not be a new Skylanders console game released this year.
The franchise has added a new major installment every year since it began in 2011 with Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure, the most recent release being Skylanders: Imaginators in fall 2016. The games have seen mixed retail success, and in November of last year rumors began circulating that the series’ future may be uncertain. These came following shake-up in the toys-to-life gaming world, with Disney Infinity being completely cancelled in May 2016 following a disappointing earnings report from Disney.
Today’s announcement from Activision Blizzard sheds new light on the Skylander situation, revealing that the publisher will be forgoing the release of a brand-new console Skylanders entry, to instead focus on existing properties within the Skylanders universe. Skylanders: Imaginators will be receiving new adventure packs, characters, and other content, and the game will also be made available for play on the Nintendo: Switch console when it is released in March.
In addition, the games’ accompanying animated TV series Skylanders Academy has officially been ordered for a 3rd season by Netflix, with the 1st season airing to considerable success and the 2nd season slated to release later in 2017. The Activision Blizzard earnings call also mentions that a Skylanders mobile game is currently in development, with no mention of an expected release date.
It is currently unknown whether or not the Skylanders series will return to consoles with a new entry in 2018.