With the video game industry going through a nostalgia era, various companies have dug into their bag of long-dormant properties and are remastering, remaking, or reviving fan-beloved franchises. Games likeTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2were received very favorably and left fans hoping that Activision would continue the remaster trend and bringTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4to current-gen platforms. Unfortunately, due to Activision’s decision-making and word from the skateboarding deity and game’s namesake Tony Hawk, a remaster of the next twoTony Hawk’s Pro Skatergames will not be happening.
It came out yesterday that due to Vicarious Visions' merger with Activision Blizzard,further remasters of theTony Hawk Pro Skaterfranchise were canceled. Tony Hawk had confirmed on stream that a remaster ofTony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4was up next, but Activision-Blizzard completed a deal that saw it absorb Vicarious Visions, causing all other projects to be scrapped.
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This decision hurt Tony Hawk as he was enthusiastic about continuing to remaster some of the remaining games in the franchise. But afterActivision Blizzard merged with Vicarious Visions, remastering of the remaining games was pitched to other developers. However, Activision, in Hawk’s words, “didn’t trust” the development ofTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterto anyone else, and the further talk of development ceased.
Fans of the series are obviously disappointed that the franchise will once again go dormant as Vicarious Visions were the driving force for remastering the franchise along with other games. The studio has a history of porting otherTony Hawk’s Pro Skatergames onto a variety of platforms and released theCrash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogybefore putting outTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. Fans mourned the news and questioned Activision-Blizzard’s decision to not follow through on remasteringTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4orTony Hawk’s Underground. With a fanbase that craves skateboarding games, many gamers see this as Activision throwing away another opportunity to cash in on the nostalgia craze.
One fan reaction even attempted to lobby Xbox Head Phil Spencer and Microsoft to step in and course-correct since Microsoft could soon have some control over Activision’s development decisions. Others just choose to meme the presumed death of the franchise now thatActivision has made Vicarious Visions into another support developerworking onCall of Dutycontent. Fan fervor has swayed some development decisions in the past, so anything is possible. As of right now, skateboarding game fans will have to look to other games for their freestyle fix.
