the popularity of "spyro the dragon" helped to push the character of spyro as a popular platforming mascot for the playstation alongside crash bandicoot. it was the first game in what would go on to become an expansive video game series, spawning two more platforming sequels for the playstation – "" and "" – released in 1999 and 2000, respectively. as of the year 2000, the series had sold more than 3.2 million copies in the u.s. and over 4 million copies worldwide. insomniac stopped developing the "spyro" series after "year of the dragon", as it finished off their 4-game contract with universal interactive. despite this, the series was continued across various different developers, and shifted to several other platforms besides playstation. "spyro" being their first considerable success, insomniac went on to develop several other successful video game franchises, including the "ratchet & clank" series of platform games and the more adult-oriented third-person shooter series, "resistance". the game's rendering system, new and unheard of at the time, has gone on to be used in several other 3d video games.