Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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I sat down with Matt Whiting — one of the original programmers on Spyro the Dragon at Insomniac Games — the person behind Spyro’s iconic controls and camera.

In this interview, Matt breaks down how Spyro’s movement, camera, and “feel” were built on PS1… and why that design still holds up for fans jumping into Spyro Reignited Trilogy and waiting on Spyro: A Realm Beyond.

Whether you grew up with Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2, Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon, or came in through Reignited / the Fortnite Spyro collab, this is the behind-the-scenes story of what made Spyro feel so good to control.

What we cover:
• How Spyro’s original controls were programmed
• The camera system that defined the classic trilogy
• Design decisions from early Insomniac Games
• Why these controls still matter for Spyro fans today (including the A Realm Beyond era)

Thank you Goodrich Games for connecting us:
youtube.com/@UCRFrOgzjRhdZVG40oF2UXCQ



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