Editing Fred Ford (programmer) (section)

=== Acquisition by Activision and ''Skylanders'' breakthrough ===
Toys for Bob secured [[Activision]] as their new publisher, thanks to an introduction from former Toys for Bob staff who had founded [[Shaba Games]] and been acquired by Activision.<ref name="youtubex3">{{cite web|author=Sean Dacanay, Marcus Niehaus|date=July 7, 2020|title=Star Control Creators Paul Reiche & Fred Ford: Extended Interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs8RY31Byzg|type=Transcript|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}} [https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/dfb8c8ea-86c6-46fe-a8e7-c15ac862285amezzanine.txt Alt URL]</ref> The publisher offered Toys for Bob the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] license for ''[[Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure]],'' which led to a 2003 game release.<ref name="polygon4"/> This successful relationship led to Toys for Bob being acquired by Activision in May 2005. The company became a wholly owned [[subsidiary]], and the management team and [[employee]]s signed long-term contracts under the new corporate structure.<ref name="Activision purchases Toys for Bob">{{cite web|last=[[Chris Pirillo]]|date=April 3, 2005|title=Activision purchases Toys for Bob|url=http://www.lockergnome.com/game/2005/05/03/activision-acquires-game-developer-toys-for-bob/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Chris Pirillo|Locker Gnome]]|archive-date=September 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928005154/http://www.lockergnome.com/game/2005/05/03/activision-acquires-game-developer-toys-for-bob/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="gamasutra2005">{{cite web|author=David Jenkins|date=May 3, 2005|title=Activision Acquires Toys For Bob|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/activision-acquires-toys-for-bob|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> Working with Activision, Toys for Bob continued to focus on licensed video games, such as [[Madagascar (video game)|''Madagascar'']].<ref name="polygon4"/> However, the market for these types of games began to dry up,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Hamza Aziz|date=October 21, 2012|title=Merging toys and videogames with Skylanders|url=https://www.destructoid.com/merging-toys-and-videogames-with-skylanders-236668.phtml|access-date=May 22, 2020|website=[[Destructoid]]|language=EN}}</ref> in part due to the negative reputation created by other licensed games.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hansen|first=Dustin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=62fZDAAAQBAJ&q=toys+for+bob+team&pg=PA321|title=Game On!: Video Game History from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft, and More|date=November 22, 2016|publisher=[[Feiwel & Friends]]|isbn=978-1-250-08096-7|language=en}}</ref>

The company searched for new opportunities.<ref name="polygon4"/> One such idea came from Toys for Bob character designer I-Wei Huang, who had been creating toys and robots in his spare time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Robertson|first=Andy|date=May 23, 2012|title=FGTV Interviews I-Wei Huang, Hears How Skylanders Got Boys Playing With Girl Characters|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/05/fgtv-interviews-i-wei-huang/|access-date=May 22, 2020|issn=1059-1028}}</ref> The company saw the potential to adopt these toys and character designs into a game, with technical engineer Robert Leyland applying his hobby in building electronics.<ref name="polygon4" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Robertson|first=Andy|date=May 24, 2012|title=FGTV Interviews Robert Leyland, Creator of the Skylanders Portal of Power|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/05/interview-robert-leyland/|access-date=May 22, 2020|issn=1059-1028}}</ref> Coincidentally, Activision merged with [[Vivendi Games]] in 2008, and asked Toys for Bob to create a new game around Vivendi's ''[[Spyro]]'' franchise.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=Evangelista|first=Benny|date=May 31, 2014|title=Toys for Bob, 'Skylanders' game creator, celebrates 25 years|url=https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/Toys-for-Bob-Skylanders-game-creator-5517943.php|access-date=May 6, 2020|website=SFGate}}</ref> The team saw the potential for [[Toys-to-life|toy-game interaction]] and suggested to Activision that it would be ideal for ''Spyro''{{'}}s rich universe of characters.<ref name=":02"/> Activision CEO [[Bobby Kotick]] responded well to the idea, and gave the team an additional year of development to better refine the technology, the manufacturing process, and the gameplay.<ref name="polygon4" /> Ford credits Activision for funding the expensive and risky development, "we could have thought of this idea as independents and never got it made."<ref name=":02"/> This culminated in the 2011 release of ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure]]'', which became a breakthrough success for the developer, their most notable game since ''Star Control''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mike Fahey|date=October 21, 2012|title=Skylanders Giants: The Kotaku Review|url=https://kotaku.com/skylanders-giants-the-kotaku-review-5953530|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Kotaku}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Anton Olsen|date=October 5, 2012|title=Toys for Bob: From Star Control to Skylanders Giants|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/10/toys-for-bob-skylanders-giants/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Wired}}</ref>

In October 2017 Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III announced they would be working on a direct sequel to ''Star Control II'' called ''Ghosts of the Precursors''.<ref>[https://dogarandkazon.squarespace.com/ dogarandkazon.squarespace.com] Ghosts of the Precursors announcement</ref>