Tony Hawk reboots on DS in '08, consoles likely in '09

Activision says "reinvention" of series will begin with exclusive installment on Nintendo's handheld this year, with other installments slated for 2010 fiscal year.

Last year, Activision's long-standing Tony Hawk franchise received a wake-up call in the from of Skate from publishing archrival Electronic Arts. While neither game struck critics particularly well, EA's contender took the slight edge, prompting Activision to say in February that it would be "re-engineering the franchise." In a postearnings conference call today, Activision reiterated its plans to enliven the franchise, saying it would be "reinventing Tony Hawk from the ground up."

According to Activision, gamers will get their first look at the tinkered-with Tony Hawk formula in an exclusive Nintendo DS edition slated for release this year. The publisher gave no hard details on the game, other than saying that it would be independent from any console title, and "utilize new technology not yet seen on the DS." Activision did not indicate whether this "new technology" for the DS would be seen under the hood or manifest as a new peripheral similar to that used for Guitar Hero: On Tour, which will be released June 22.

While annualized franchises are often considered the lifeblood of publishing giants such as Activision, the publisher also said today that it would be sitting the next console installment out a year "to deliver the kind of breakthrough this franchise needs." Activision is targeting the game for release in its fiscal year 2010, which ends March 31, 2010. Traditionally, though, Tony Hawk games have released in the holiday quarter, making a late-'09 launch likely.

If details on the new DS installment were considered light, information on the new console edition was nonexistent. "For competitive reasons, we're not going to talk about it today, but we're very bullish on the kind of innovation this will bring," said Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith. "And this won't be your father's Tony Hawk."

86 Comments

  • bobazz

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    finally tony hawk new renovated im sick of kickflip x->

  • AdeTheTerrible

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 2:47 am PT

    "neither game struck critics particularly well"

    excuse me - didn't Skate win IGN's sports game of the year?

    http://uk.bestof.ign.com/2007/overall/10.html

    I'd say that struck critics REALLY well. to get best sports game of 2007 is quite an accolade, especially for a game like Skate, representing an activity which is popular but not exactly on the same level as football or legitimate sports (I'm not saying skateboarding isn't a legitimate activity, I skate myself, I've just never thought of it as a sport because for the most part it's not competitive). In other news, skate outsold proving ground almost 2:1

    http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/skate-outsells-tony-hawk-nearly-2-to-1/

    I don't understand how both games can not strike critics particularly well when one of them recieved best sports game of 2007 from IGN and outsold it's main competitor by almost twice the sales.

    My point is: the Tony Hawk brand is dying. Any major changes they make will alienate all of those people who like the way the game is now, and even though that number is smaller. I've said the whole time that all the TH franchise needed was to tone down the physics, get rid of the stupid goals, make the game a lot longer than 10 hours and makes things a bit more realistic and they would've been able to get away with forcing a new game at us every year. It took EA to give them a kick up the arse.

    Any rumours about balance boards and redoctane peripherals sounds like a bad idea to me. It works with guitar hero, but with skating it's slightly different. You could get on a real skateboard and just have fun skating around not even doing tricks, and it gives you the same buzz that doing a huge combo on TH gives you. Skating isn't about tricks and impressing people with long combos, whilst playing guitar is all about competently producing good music - and Guitar Hero has given us that without needing to practise with a real guitar!

    What I'm trying to say is Guitars + Skateboards = not the same.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Jun 16, 2008 8:17 pm PT

    This is why competition rules.

  • DamageIncM

    Posted Jun 16, 2008 7:26 pm PT

    What they should do is just stuff all the great features of the Tony Hawk games into one.
    Get all the best modes, the most fun things to do.
    The best controls and graphics on top of that.
    Also new audio for a change...

    Why doesn't any failing developer understand that?...
    Always trying to come up with this "whole new game" and after all failing with a mediocre game.

  • StSk8ter29

    Posted May 13, 2008 5:04 am PT

    You all keep comparing this game to older games in the series when they just told you it's going to be something you've never seen before.

  • Flint247

    Posted May 12, 2008 3:20 pm PT

    I love the THDS games. THAS and THDJ were really addicting. THPG is what I am playing now. It's really a great game. I can't wait for this one. I am definitely buying it.

    -Flint$

  • calvinx6

    Posted May 12, 2008 12:57 pm PT

    Skate vs Tony Hawk on the DS.

  • Dualmask

    Posted May 12, 2008 10:34 am PT

    I'm with the many that say Skate basically killed TH. I haven't seriously played a TH game since THPS3, but I'm currently loving Skate. Of course, if they find a way to innovate it (I can't imagine how, but then again I'm not a game developer either), I'll probably forget to even check it out because it's been so long since the series has really been relevant (at least to me).

  • Koto2291

    Posted May 12, 2008 6:26 am PT

    about time. the series was always good, but THAW set a really high standard to beat. i wanna see another game like it, but with more customization, an even bigger city, and it should let you make your charcter again.

  • KingSigy

    Posted May 11, 2008 3:50 pm PT

    Awesome, Tony Hawk was always good, but it needs serious help. The previous DS version was the last game in the series I bought and I was pleased with it. Hopefully Activision knows to keep it just like that.

  • Patch595

    Posted May 11, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    i'm wondering how much can you change a skating game especially one like tony hawkes which has gone through just about every different theme there is. And how much can you change the control system as their just dosn't seem to be any more room for variation on a standard control pad. oh well i look forward to seeing how much of a change it realy will be and all credit to them for sticking their neck out on the line. Good luck and please don't disapoint.

  • m_axe9

    Posted May 11, 2008 11:13 am PT

    sweet gotta love ds. i think its prolly best system of generation. and you are full of crap if you say its only for little kids !

  • ColdRush88

    Posted May 11, 2008 10:21 am PT

    It's a long time to wait so lets hope they put the huge amount of work into the game that it deserves.
    I loved Project 8 but it still could have been a lot better.

  • supercool4

    Posted May 11, 2008 7:48 am PT

    I never thought this would happen though it's probably for the better

  • OWLovethBL

    Posted May 11, 2008 7:42 am PT

    I seem to remember 'building it from thew ground up' is exactly what they said about Project 8, which after all the hype and the awesome first trailer turned out to be the most dissapointing game I've ever played.

    At least they're giving themselves an 18-month timeframe for this game instead of the usual 12 months, so maybe they can pull osmething out.

  • klugenbeel

    Posted May 11, 2008 2:06 am PT

    yeah, its been a while since there was a good tony hawk. here's hoping for them to bring back the glory days!

  • speedjunkie4

    Posted May 10, 2008 1:07 pm PT

    DrKill, you are right. skate is the winner of the skateboarding race, and no amount of reinventing is going to change that.

  • tennis12master

    Posted May 10, 2008 11:03 am PT

    Yeah, Tony Hawk on wii balance board would be really good, legend26.

  • legend26

    Posted May 10, 2008 10:27 am PT

    i seriously want to see tony hawk on wii balence board...
    thank the heavens that activision is finally trying to inovate

  • thekodaman

    Posted May 10, 2008 6:05 am PT

    Its's the epic struggle between Generic Skateboarding Sim No.1 Versus Generic Skateboarding Sim No. 2! Who will be the winner of this desperate struggle? Does anybody actually care? I've forgotten why I posted this now.

  • skullbird11

    Posted May 10, 2008 1:37 am PT

    Damn, get the message, WE CAN'T BE BOTHERED with TH now!

  • DrKill09

    Posted May 9, 2008 6:19 pm PT

    Honestly, I believe the TH series is over. Skate was an amazing game. The best since Thrasher Skate and Destroy, and basically a spiritual successor to it. Don't get me wrong, even though I always liked Thrasher best, I've been a fan of the TH games since 2, and have most of them, but it is time to move on. Skate is fresh, and TH hasn't been truely great since about THPS4 or THUG1. THP8 was good, but I really could not stand THPG... they ruined the gameplay.

  • Bamdude89

    Posted May 9, 2008 6:16 pm PT

    It's a good thing that Activision is taking a break for the series for a day. They really need to make something new in the franchise.

  • razgriz_101

    Posted May 9, 2008 4:13 pm PT

    they need to get something original or they wont pull me back im happy with skate i think its awesome.they cant rip of the stick controls either they will need something completely new maybe redoctane could help cough*skateboard controller*cough

  • Franzkill

    Posted May 9, 2008 3:57 pm PT

    Neither games struck critics particularly well? Sorry but skate pretty much killed Tony Hawks Proving Ground and it was an excellent skating game in its own right with great attention to detail and realism. What the heck do critics know? Make up your own decision.

  • mcbride69

    Posted May 9, 2008 3:39 pm PT

    they say they are going to re-invent the series year after year!! Despite really enjoying all the TH games i really wish they would do something different....fingers crossed

  • Serbine

    Posted May 9, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    I like the Tony Hawk game but man Activision need to give it a break and work on one of the other sport games they use to do like Kelly Slater Pro Surfing, Matt Hoffman Pro BMX, or Shaun Palmer Pro Snowboarder because I'd like to see a sequel to those games plus were it hurt anyone to make a Inline Skating game(especially when Agressive Inline was an awesome game)because we need one as well as an extreme Motocycle game.

  • SonOfChewbacca

    Posted May 9, 2008 1:53 pm PT

    Please let this series die already.

  • Thatsmypunk

    Posted May 9, 2008 1:45 pm PT

    I still dust off the old Dreamcast to play THPS 1 and 2.

  • ThisIsntLeonard

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:47 pm PT

    Finally.

    Now we'll have two developers really trying to breakthrough, hopefully creating two truly amazing games, rather than a THPS upgrade that we've been receiving for the last five years.

    If Skate 2 can promise more of the same, AND some major development in personal creation, ie. levels, deeper character editing, tricks perhaps, then I'm not sure if TH can rebound. It'll take a LOT.

  • AwakenedMaster

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:33 pm PT

    I guess the series could use a bit of tinkering, though I hope they don't go all crazy and change everything up. I'd really like to see the new one actually be more like the older ones...

  • ctg867

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    Well as long as EA pushes Skate 2 to 2009 as well, then I think this will work out great. Tony Hawk gets a re-polishing. Skate gets more development time.

    DS version? Yea, like anybody with any taste cares.

  • snarple_basic

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:19 pm PT

    I thought Project 8 was fun for a while, but yea it did feel a little to much like the other TH games, and I have been playing them since the 1st game. I hope they really do something fun.

  • Taegre

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:05 pm PT

    Glad they're taking their time on this one. I mean, this will be the tenth Tony Hawk game, that's a huge landmark. They need to make sure the game deserves it. That said, can't effin' wait!

  • Natdaddy

    Posted May 9, 2008 12:03 pm PT

    And this my friends, is the power of competition. Now if only someone could do the same back to EA and start making NFL games again....

  • thpghalo3

    Posted May 9, 2008 11:47 am PT

    this $u#&! they should just leave it alone it was fine the way it was!

  • GreggD

    Posted May 9, 2008 11:26 am PT

    Awesome. I'm glad to see they'll finally be taking their time on this one.

  • ps3thabest

    Posted May 9, 2008 10:54 am PT

    better den that crappy skate game my friend gave me

  • supermariomelee

    Posted May 9, 2008 10:46 am PT

    It's about time Activision realized that they need to tinker with the Tony Hawk series. The franchise hasn't been fun after THPS 3.

  • blackace

    Posted May 9, 2008 10:39 am PT

    I thought they would have killed this franchise by now. I've gotten bored with Tony Hawk gaves after the 3rd one. A reinvention of the game may or may not help. This is the game that kepted me going after these T.H.

    http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=24420

    I'd like a sequel to this game as it was very good and different then T.H.

  • FallenOneX

    Posted May 9, 2008 10:36 am PT

    "And this won't be your father's Tony Hawk." Wow, a comment like that..... Especially since the last 3 made me feel nothing like the joy I got with THPS2/3. Even the OG was a great deamo for my brand new SEGA DREAMCAST!

  • 5-0

    Posted May 9, 2008 9:33 am PT

    "reinventing Tony Hawk from the ground up." I find this funny. That's exactly what they said about Project 8, and look at that. Not significant improvements eh?

  • VirtualTofu

    Posted May 9, 2008 9:17 am PT

    Nobody complains about Madden's age or his 20 games. They're more similar than any Tony Hawk game.

  • rexCo

    Posted May 9, 2008 9:15 am PT

    I think it's safe to say this franchise needs this.

  • asimplerapper

    Posted May 9, 2008 6:27 am PT

    Skate was really good!

  • SethandJeremy

    Posted May 9, 2008 5:06 am PT

    The last game was good on the ds and this should be better.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted May 9, 2008 3:52 am PT

    My father's Tony Hawk? Jeez, those were the only good ones. I haven't loved a THPS game since THPS 3, and I haven't liked one since THUG2.

  • sun_spirit

    Posted May 9, 2008 3:28 am PT

    Maaan, he just won't die, huh?
    I do love the old Tony games, I stopped playing them after Downhill Jam.
    They really need to get some work done here to get even a half decent response from their gamers.
    'nuff said...

  • Zazalon

    Posted May 9, 2008 2:55 am PT

    Tony Hawks happened to be my favourite game series until Project 8. They need to get back to the Pro Skater type gameplay. No bull, just skating around in lots of strange levels getting High scores.

    Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 : Gamespot score 10.0 - 2001

    Tony Hawks Proving Ground: Gamespot core 6.5 - 2007

  • CamisadoBlue

    Posted May 9, 2008 2:42 am PT

    wait... were going a year without a cheaply made, badly designed tony hawks game with only a few small tiny adjustments to try and force people to buy the same crap again for the 10th time !?!?!

    I feel scared

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