25th anniversary plans are in the works for canceled by Activision after its other divsion, Blizzard Entertainment, subsumed developer Vicarious Visions.
The iconic skating game was first released in 1999, making 2024 its 25th anniversary, and in celebration of the occasion, Tony Hawk has "been talking to Activision," according to VGC, reporting on Hawk's appearance in a video from Mythical Kitchen on YouTube. Hawk says, "we're working on something," and, "it'll be something the fans will truly appreciate."
The nod to longtime fans seems to most likely refer to a revival of the canceled Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, a combination remake following in the footsteps of 2020's THPS 1 + 2. Hawk is keeping a tight lid on things, though, with no confirmation of what he and Activision are actually in talks about.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remakes Could Be On The Way
Or A New Game Entirely
With no specifics given by Hawk, it's difficult to predict what the future of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is, even if the 3 + 4 remake seems the most likely. The Pro Skater series – the most successful and beloved wing of the Tony Hawk's video game brand – attempted a more definitive return in 2015 with THPS 5, but it was widely panned by critics for lackluster graphics, uninspired gameplay changes, and a litany of performance issues. Pro Skater 1 + 2 was a triumphant return to form, but the series has since returned to dormancy alongside the end of Vicarious Visions.
In Hawk's original discussion of the canceled THPS 3 + 4, via andyTHPS on Twitch, he claimed Activision had approached other, unspecified developers to continue the series after Blizzard's absorption of Vicarious Visions. When pitches were given for a new THPS title, however, Activision decided not to pursue a new game at the time, presumably unconvinced. As Hawk put it, "[Activsion] didn't really trust anyone the way [it] did Vicarious."
It's currently unclear if circumstances have changed, but Hawk's latest comments on something being in production for Pro Skater's 25th anniversary are promising. Seeing as the series doesn't necessarily have a current title – nothing has been released since 2020 – some form of update doesn't seem to be in the cards. This really only leaves two possibilities: a brand-new game, or another remake.
Without Vicarious Visions to develop, and the original THPS developer, Neversoft, also defunct, it's unclear which studio may be working on a new Tony Hawk's project. Aside from a whole new title and the Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake, another conceivable candidate is a revival of the Tony Hawk's Underground series, arguably the second most beloved behind Pro Skater and also a Neversoft product. Until some form of official announcement, though, the future of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater remains unclear, even if this revelation of an anniversary celebration is a welcome update.
Source: VGC, Mythical Kitchen/YouTube, andyTHPS/Twitch
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (2020)
-
- Top Critic Avg: 89/100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- September 4, 2020
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Vicarious Visions
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a remaster of the first two installments of the Tony Hawk's skateboarding video game series. The 2020 game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Windows to positive reviews from players and critics.
- Franchise
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
- Number of Players
- 1-2
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical Only
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4
- Local Co-Op
- 1-2 Players
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