While the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series brought skateboarding games to the forefront, they’ve been usurped by EA’s Skate, which places a greater emphasis on realism and tight, intuitive controls. Skate has undoubtedly become the benchmark against which other skating games are measured.
Fans of the series expecting a fourth game might be in for an unpleasant surprise though. EA CEO John Riccitiello has said that the appeal of skateboarding games has “run its course.â€
"When it comes to action sports, I think that’s going to be an ongoing exciting genre," he said in an interview, before adding, "But at least for the level of excitement out there, skateboarding seems to have run its course as the representative example in that broader genre."
I think the problem stems from the annualised model of game releases; quick turn around sequels that really only serve in milking franchises dry. It’s the same model that’s caused music rhythm games to wane; The rather excellent Rock Band 3 only sold 7000 copies in its first week of release. Oh, and gimmicky skating games with rubbish plastic peripherals probably haven’t helped either.
Source : Kotaku
Last Updated: December 2, 2010
Bobby Kotick for Dummies
December 2, 2010 at 13:54
After they killed the servers for Skate 1, I vowed never to buy another Skate game. From the reviews of Skate 3, that might have been the wisest decision I’ve ever made. So no, I will not be getting Skate 4. :happy:
Geoffrey Tim
December 2, 2010 at 14:04
And Skate 1 was pure genius. It’s a real, real pity.
Bobby Kotick for Dummies
December 2, 2010 at 14:14
🙁 I know, it’s such an awesome game.
Aussious XBox Defector
December 2, 2010 at 14:32
Hence the future of gaming at the hands of big corps is in peril…
Nick de Bruyne
December 2, 2010 at 14:43
I think what Riccitiello really means to say is not that skateboarding games have run their course but that the team creating their skateboarding game ran out of talent.
Why do companies keep focusing and bigger and more, rather than tightening up the experience and making a more solid game.
Its like cars, in the US a car company like Ford will release a new Mustang with nothing but brighter stripes and more horsepower from a bigger engine.
Europeans will take their current car, make it lighter, nimbler, more balanced and then maybe add a little more power.
Do you think the new Mustang will beat the new Ferrari around a circuit? Didn’t think so.
Bobby Kotick for Dummies
December 2, 2010 at 15:00
The Yanks haven’t learnt from their automobile market crash of the 1970s, but then… AMERICA NUMBER 1!
Sigh poor deluded fools.