Skate 2 rolls out Jan. 21
Sequel to EA Black Box's acclaimed open-world street-skateboarding hit will arrive on US PS3s, 360s early next year; rest of planet gets it January 23.
The first quarter of 2009 is the new fourth quarter of 2008. With the current holiday period bursting at the seams with AAA-game releases, many top-tier games have shifted their launches until after hangovers from New Year's Eve revels will have long worn off. These include Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV, Dragon Age: Origins (for the PC), and the downloadable expansion Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.
The latest game to join the early-2009 set is Skate 2. This morning, Electronic Arts announced that the sequel to its open-world street-skateboarding hit will grind onto North American Xbox 360s and PlayStation 3s on January 21. The T-for-Teen-rated game will launch in other territories, including the UK and the rest of Europe, on January 23.
Developed by EA's Black Box studio at EA Canada, Skate 2 is actually the third installment in the publisher's Tony Hawk-foiling franchise. Coming two months after the launch of the Nintendo DS and Wii Balance Board-enhanced spin-off Skate It, the game returns to the fictional city of San Vanelona. Recently rebuilt after an unnamed disaster, the San Francisco/Vancouver/Barcelona hybrid offers an open world in which players can perform a variety of tricks. The game's thumbstick "FlickIt" trick system has been enhanced with an array of button-based moves, including the ability to grab obstacles and step off of the skateboard itself.
For more on Skate 2, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation