Subtitles can be found in most major video game releases. Strangely, Spyro Reignited Collection is one of the few games that doesn’t have that option. Fans were mad when they realized that there were no Spyro subtitles in the new remastered package. But they were even more displeased after Activision gave a response concerning the issue.
Concerned fans reached out to Activision once they noticed the game didn’t have subtitles. In a statement to GamePitt, Activision mentioned that the game was built from the ground up and had to be localized in different languages that developer Toys for Bob was not used to. The complete statement is as follows:
“When Toys For Bob set out to make an awesome game collection, there were certain decisions that needed to be made throughout the process. The team remained committed to keep the integrity and legacy of Spyro that fans remembered intact. The game was built from the ground up using a new engine for the team (Unreal 4), and was localized in languages that had not previously been attempted by the studio. While there’s no industry standard for subtitles, the studio and Activision care about the fans’ experience especially with respect to accessibility for people with different abilities, and will evaluate going forward.”
In other words, it seems like subtitles may be coming in the future, but nothing is certain yet on that front. Fans haven’t particularly liked the response, with a Change.org petition already set up. Reaction on Reddit and other forums haven’t been that kind either. Of course, social media also has voiced their displeasure:
@Spyro_Reignited Are we going to get subtitles or captions for deaf people to be able to enjoy the game AND the story line? I haven’t seen confirmation of this. Do they get to continue to suffer like they did with Crash N. Sane? Please address this.
— Brian Busby (@Fumbles1307) November 13, 2018
November 2018 in game Accessibility:
Microsoft makes a commercial about playing together and the XAC including a gamer with disabilities.Spyro Reignited Trilogy is missing subtitles because there “there’s no industry standard” (The standard is YES, You should have subtitles)
— Craig Kaufman (@craigums) November 19, 2018
People don’t think that Activision’s response is enough, and they want to see the feature eventually be added with a patch. The only subtitles in the game are in Spyro 2 and Spyro 3 but only in levels, not cutscenes. Fans want the subtitles to encompass the entire game, not just specific NPC interactions.
Despite the controversy, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy has gotten favorable reviews. However, this is less about the actual game and more about accessibility. It is troubling to see a big game fumble a nearly standard aspect like subtitles. This looks worse when compared to titles like Celeste, Spider-Man, and God of War which have all done quite well adjusting for people with different needs.
