Tony Hawk talks Ride sequels

Q&A: Pro skater indicates work on next installment has begun at Robomodo; hints at snowboarding, surfing titles in the pipeline for skateboarding controller.

After several tepidly received iterations, Activision is hoping to reboot the Tony Hawk skateboarding franchise with the release of Tony Hawk Ride. The latest title in the long-running series shipped November 17 in North America and arrives in the UK and Germany on December 5. It includes a proprietary full-sized skateboard controller where players can mimic skating moves thanks to its in-built accelerometers and infrared sensors.

Tony Hawk is game to ride again…if Activision is.

Unfortunately, Tony Hawk Ride doesn't come cheap, bearing a hefty asking price of £99.99 in the UK and $120 in the US. Potential purchasers not dissuaded by poor initial reviews can take some comfort knowing that it probably won't be the only game Activision plans to support with the deck. During an interview with GameSpot UK today in London, the titular skateboarding icon appears to have confirmed previous reports that he is working with Ride's Chicago-based developer Robomodo on a sequel.

When asked by GameSpot UK when he would begin working on a sequel with Robomodo, Hawk said, "We have already started that process, but who knows what the future holds. I've never had a master plan, especially with our old series, of how many we could do, or how far we could take it. It really was all about the fans and the console technology. … As far as I'm concerned, it's all systems go with trying to make at least a sequel for this, because I feel like we've only just really tapped what's possible with this technology."

Snowboarding? Likely. Hoverboarding? Perhaps not.

Hawk also hinted at what ideas he'd like to see included in a sequel. "I think that there are certain ways to play the game that we could definitely improve on in a sequel," he revealed. "Especially the way that you transition from the vert mode to the street mode. I'm sure there's more of a seamless way to do that, but we had to separate it for this first one, just because we wanted to get it finished and get it tight."

While Tony Hawk Ride 2 looks like it's already on the drawing board, the skateboard peripheral won't be limited to one sport. Hawk said it was "up to Activision and myself as to what we do with this next and what kind of games we create. I think that the first priority, beyond skateboarding, would be snowboarding because that would lend itself [to the board] a little bit easier [than other genres], and beyond that I'd love to do a surfing game. I always thought that Kelly Slater's [Pro Surfer] was an underrated title for the PlayStation 2. I thought that people didn't really give it the attention it deserved." Hawk's comments echo Robomodo's previous comments that it was already considering other game options for the board.

[UPDATE] For more on Tony Hawk Ride check out GameSpot's video review below.

123 Comments

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Dec 20, 2009 8:44 pm PT

    Yep, thats the first thing I think of when I see a bad game, MAKE ANOTHER BAD GAME!! Genuis.

    Just more proof Tony Hawk has taken a few too many falls on bare concrete with no helmt.

  • buft

    Posted Nov 29, 2009 4:08 pm PT

    lol thats the sign of a bad game, talk about how good the sequel is before you've launched it fully..

  • SLRMC93

    Posted Nov 28, 2009 6:18 pm PT

    AHHHH QUICK EVERY ONE RUN!!!!!!!!!

  • guardianangel10

    Posted Nov 28, 2009 1:16 pm PT

    i don't really see why a sequel when nobody like the first one

  • thetravman

    Posted Nov 27, 2009 8:45 pm PT

    The board is neat but it just wasn't used right. Activision should just make a new skateboarding/snowboarding franchise using the board and just continue TH. I would really want another TH game with standard control. Take a few years in development if they have to get things right again. Are they feeling rushed, thinking they have to release one every year?

  • Michael324

    Posted Nov 27, 2009 1:46 pm PT

    Please dont!
    Show MERCY!

  • skylar123

    Posted Nov 26, 2009 9:22 am PT

    I really see no reason why everyone is complaining about TH Ride when they were actually trying to innovate on the franchise. Instead, the whole idea just gets blasted. I thought that the game industry is all about innovation? Look, this is only their first go-around with this new idea, it'll probably improve over time. If done right, it'll make the skateboard genre a lot more interesting. The only reason why people hate it is because Activision also publishes Guitar Hero, which has been getting a lot of bias lately from all these gaming sites. This again screams of Activision bias on this site. I mean seriously, what is your problem with their games? I can understand the whole "stupid Bobby Kotick" thing, but most of their games aren't that bad. Like it or not, there are some good games out there published by Activision. Just because they are obsessed with sequels doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing. Sequels let them fix and improve the game. For all of you saying "RIP Tony Hawk", why do you want the series to die? Mario has been going for a long time, Sonic has too, and I don't hear anyone wanting them to go away. The Tony Hawk series was the one who created the skateboard genre of games. Just because "reviews" for their titles haven't been too stellar doesn't mean that the franchise is dead. The titles got low reviews because Gamespot loves to see innovation in every title, and they obviously hate sequels.

  • MajinDante

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 1:18 pm PT

    sequel? to this? NO THANKS.

  • blakeney

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 11:50 am PT

    Will the sequal do away with the dodgy accessory that costs more then its reallife version?

    Will the sequal use some kind of control system so you FEEL like your acually pulling the moves off?

    Hmmm if it does the above it will just be skate with tonyhawkes splashed allover it!?

    Ok i got a good idea.....

    do away with the expensive deck with a usb socket and no srew holes for trucks!!??
    Do away with skate boards and tony hawkes alltogether (i mean does he even take part in comps ect anymore......thats what makes you pro.....he is now a veteran pro/celeb now right??)

    Find a pro BMX'er that ticked all the boxes tony did in terms of sellability......then add the control system i mentioned above (the one where you use a PAD to pull off tricks!!)

    Finally sprinkle...no wait....dump aload of realisim in (yes thats right....no earthquakes........no 50ft air.....nogrind button!!!!!!!)

    And what we got left??? a top quality BMX franchies that will grow and prosper and make loads of duurty moniez.....just how the these game companys like it

  • tremor33

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 10:56 am PT

    Ha. THPS2 was one of my favorite games. Probably didn't hurt that the school level was based off my high school

  • Frankasti

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 8:57 am PT

    Tony Hawk's game series is dead since Underground 2

  • condelirios

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 8:50 am PT

    I saw Tony Hawk Riding it quite well in fact on cnet... I think it was on the 404 .. Program... video podcast.

  • Pwnd56

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 8:49 am PT

    ...no

  • lazy_trash

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 5:41 am PT

    the last tony hawk game i played was project 8. well i guess it was the last game anyone played. i guess i've played them all? all guesses aside, i KNOW i'm not touching this crap. project 8 was half decent though.. way better than american wasteland, or either underground game.

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 5:10 am PT

    Of course T.Hawk said this.

  • jmartinez1983

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 4:16 am PT

    Before I consider playing a Tony Hawk game again (haven't played since 2), I want to see Mr. Hawk get up there on this new board and perform some tricks. If he can show me the board works, then I'd maybe possibly consider looking into the series again.

  • JDCAce55

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 3:19 am PT

    For all of you complaining about "in-built:"
    It's British for what Americans say "built-in." If you notice, right up there at the top, it says this article was written by Luke Anderson at GameSpot UK. Try using Google before insulting someone, people.

  • gandalf_storm

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 2:17 am PT

    no they all need to be fired for what they did to latest game ride, does 3.5 and 5 out of 10 not ring any bells activision ? - The game stinks and no one will buy it except teeny bopper skate fans who think its cool to jump up and down

  • michaelmackie

    Posted Nov 25, 2009 1:27 am PT

    I've never been into skateboarding but there was something about this series I always loved. Even when it went all Jackass on us, I, like many others stood by it, but this looks to be the final nail in the TH coffin. One way to not increase sales figures is to include a peripheral which takes the game to two-and-a-half times the price of a normal game. This will be a huge flop.

  • Blade8Aus

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 11:36 pm PT

    i hope theres gonna be a new tony hawk game a good one i mean. tony hawk is so much better than skate...

  • Mbrans25den

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 10:54 pm PT

    The first time I heard about this game I knew it was gonna be a major fail. Man I hate being right. The Tony Hawk serires has been K.O.'d and Tony Hawk is looking more pathetic than ever trying to scrape up support and funding. I wish Tony would show some class and admit that this series is finished. Every time I hear about him trying to revive the series I just want to punch his "fake a**" in the face. Tony Hawk you disgust me. Grow some class or die in a hole.

  • DonatelloToAll

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 9:01 pm PT

    Have they even noticed the response to how much of a failure Ride was?Why don't they just make another true Pro Skater game for the PS3 and 360,something like Pro Skater 1-4,that would be epic

  • txarod

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 8:22 pm PT

    another fail

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 7:33 pm PT

    Lame.

  • FidelSarcastro

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 7:20 pm PT

    I could see where they would want to make a few more Ride sequels... I mean with how positive the response to Ride has been. /sarcasm

  • StSk8ter29

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 7:19 pm PT

    Neck up here, feet down here, one inch of clearance. You would have to try to break your neck on this thing. That is, unless you're playing this while doing a handstand.

  • DFen

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 5:35 pm PT

    come on I know the developers or somebody from activision check online somewhere to see what the fans think as they should know this game suck bad lol so just please just let the tony hawk franchise go lol nothing could beat skate right now

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 3:21 pm PT

    @MrJack3690

    EXACTLY! TH Underground was my favorite of all of them! It's the most customizable AND you can create your own goals as well which is what kept me coming back LONG after I'd finished all the goals in the main levels. I DO think the Tony Hawk series needed a new direction but they ended up being WAY too radical with it. Either way, it's a shame that Ride is supposedly so bad (haven't played it). But either way, I still don't wanna play a Tony Hawk game standing up constantly. The older ones I'd play for hours and hours at a time...which is NOT something I feel I'd wanna do with this new game.

    They need to go back to the drawing board I think.

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 3:15 pm PT

    Sorry but I think it sounds like he's jumping the shark with this one.

  • DrKill09

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 1:23 pm PT

    Give it up Tony, you're finished. THPG was horrible, and Ride is even worse. Face it, Skate pwned you. Give up videogames, it's not like you need the money.

    Really. $120 for a semi functioning, frustrating mess of a game NOW, or $60 for the sequel to the two best skateboarding games ever made in six months.

  • oneligas

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:51 pm PT

    I am personally waiting for Mall Cop Simulator. So i Can hassle punk skaters and confiscate all those skate boards in a realistic and semi-enjoyable timed button masher of a game.

  • oneligas

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:42 pm PT

    hey has any fool busted their neck on that piece of junk yet.

  • Dualmask

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 11:02 am PT

    @MrPilgrim "I'm sure there's more of a seamless way to do that, but we had to separate it for this first one, just because we wanted to get it finished and get it tight." ~~that means they wanted to rape your wallets, before finishing the game. QFT. The only reason a game doesn't feature something that could benefit the game is if it's left unfinished so it can meet a deadline. They're basically admitting that they gave up on trying to improve an aspect of the game before shipping it to retail.

    I just don't get it. What so many developers fail to understand is to make things better, you have to improve what made the games work in the past (which causes games like THPS3 to be branded 'classic'), not add things over and over and over and ride the current (and declining) trend of slapping a peripheral with every game. Only Nintendo can really get away with that (after all, they've been doing it since the NES days) and even then not all the time (Wii Zapper anyone?).

  • prioritymail

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 10:26 am PT

    After watching the video review I am wondering why they are even gonna attempt a sequel. Gamespot very rarely hands out something as low as a 3.5

  • PixelAddict

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 9:37 am PT

    Holy crap people actually gave ME negative feedback for pointing out the "in-built" fail.

    I suppose these negative feedbackers are the same people who don't know the difference between their, there, and they're...

  • jpsaply

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 8:55 am PT

    I have a solution for those who bought the first game and dislike it. Take the board and bolt wheels to it. Maybe it will work better as a real skateboard.

  • MrPilgrim

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 8:40 am PT

    "I'm sure there's more of a seamless way to do that, but we had to separate it for this first one, just because we wanted to get it finished and get it tight." ~~that means they wanted to rape your wallets, before finishing the game.

  • namsapalooza

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 8:18 am PT

    holy crap. NO.

  • iucidium

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 7:35 am PT

    Well isn't that a surprise! More sequels.....expect C.O.D snowboard squadron in about 5 minutes...

  • javyjav71

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 7:24 am PT

    I wonder how many people will buy this game? I don't think many initially, but they probably made so many that we will all have one some day.

  • To_Ashes

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 6:38 am PT

    Its sad to see a series that once use to reign supreme... Now just take a dive into a pit... Activision needs to either build up with an actual good game... Or end this series... Its over...

  • PixelAddict

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 5:26 am PT

    "in-built accelerometers"

    Isn't the term they were looking for "built-in"...?

  • parrot_of_adun

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 4:16 am PT

    If game reviews have the impact some people claim, then somehow I think activision might be unwilling.

  • Badwriter95

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 4:00 am PT

    @ andreicucuiet uh pandemic was EA not Activision.

  • Badwriter95

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 3:59 am PT

    Dang. tony hawk 3 and four were great. What happened. Then of course the ones after that were also good. It's the effing peripheral. Now they want to make a squeal. Tony Hawk may be a great skateboarded but he doesn't have much of a head for business.

  • geoff-uk123

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 3:13 am PT

    This series is dead. This could of been a chance to reboot the series, but mabye if this new game studio tried, the game wouldn't fail.

  • AdjacentLives

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 2:28 am PT

    Oh well, it seems the next generation of kids don't get to grow up with a good Tony Hawk game.

  • ColonelX24

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:59 am PT

    So when I say expensive hardware what would Activision say: Oops. I mention Natal: Duh! *slaps forehead*.---Seriously it seems obvious, right. Microsoft even showed a skateboarding game in their Natal trailer at E3, and you could use your actual skateboard.

  • KittyHeart

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:56 am PT

    a sequal to ride?

    we need a good sequl to the orgianl tony hawk games, not a sequl to ride...

  • punkpunker

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:52 am PT

    please bring back game that does not require useless hardware like the obvious THR . gamepads are versatile and cheap. if you want to compete with skate, follow what skate does!!!

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