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Toys for Bob explains the importance of writing and backstory in the Skylanders franchise
A portion of a Eurogamer interview with Toys for Bob's Alex Ness...
E: How important is writing on a game like Skylanders?
Ness: Sometimes it supports what everybody else is doing and sometimes it drives it. When you go from one level to the next level, the writing determines why you go there. What are you in this level to get? Who's this guy you meet? What's his deal? And then sometimes it's more that they've come up with a cool boat level and I have to think of something that ties in with that.
E: Do you have the Skylanders backstory all planned out and decide what to use for each game?
Ness: Yeah, to some degree. Sometimes it never gets used. It never hurts to do more, because you might pick out little things, stuff for later. Even if the player never notices, it's nice to have it there.
Full interview here
E: How important is writing on a game like Skylanders?
Ness: Sometimes it supports what everybody else is doing and sometimes it drives it. When you go from one level to the next level, the writing determines why you go there. What are you in this level to get? Who's this guy you meet? What's his deal? And then sometimes it's more that they've come up with a cool boat level and I have to think of something that ties in with that.
E: Do you have the Skylanders backstory all planned out and decide what to use for each game?
Ness: Yeah, to some degree. Sometimes it never gets used. It never hurts to do more, because you might pick out little things, stuff for later. Even if the player never notices, it's nice to have it there.