Can a 2000s Skate Trend Make a Comeback with a New Release?

This year, EA is poised to reignite the Skate series, a beloved staple for gaming enthusiasts who’ve waited eagerly for its comeback. It’s been a staggering 15 years since Skate 3 graced our screens, and anticipation for the next installment, simply titled “skate.,” is mounting. While a concrete release date remains elusive, EA has been conducting playtests in prelude to the game’s early access launch, stirring up excitement within the community.

In the realm of skateboarding games, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater once dominated as a premiere title. Yet, Skate made a significant impact with its fresh and innovative approach, giving players a memorable alternative. Teasers for the new Skate hint at a thrilling experience, sparking hope that this revival might also herald a resurgence of other extreme sports games, making waves in the broader gaming landscape.

The early 2000s witnessed a surge in extreme sports titles, with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater leading the charge. This era also saw titles like 1080 Snowboarding and Thrasher: Skate and Destroy establish a dedicated niche for adrenaline-fueled sports gaming. These genres have since faded, but the resurgence of Skate hints at a potential revival.

Interestingly, Skate will be a free-to-play venture, a first for the franchise. While traditional sports games focusing on soccer, football, and basketball remain ever-popular, extreme sports have taken a backseat. However, if EA’s new project hits home, it could spark both a return of classic series and the birth of new ones.

The winds of change may already be blowing, as Tony Hawk himself confirmed his collaboration with Activision on a secretive project — a promising sign for fans of extreme sports. Whether this endeavor will pan out is still unclear, but with skate.’s impending early access, fans of the genre have reason to hold their breath in anticipation.

The 2000s were a golden age for extreme sports gaming, producing memorable titles like Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX, Aggressive Inline, and the Burnout series, to name just a few. While some may remain cherished memories, there is optimism for new entries to captivate a modern audience. Trends may come and go, but they often circle back, suggesting a possible rebirth for extreme sports culture in gaming.

Around the corner is the awaited early access release of skate., teasing what might lie ahead for the franchise. In today’s era of complex gaming mechanics, Skate’s approach could introduce new dynamics to the genre. This revival has the potential not only to reinstate Skate’s prominence but also to encourage other franchises to leap back into the spotlight.

As skate. gears up for its appearance on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, the gaming community anxiously awaits to see how the franchise will redefine itself in this new era. With the resurgence of a classic, it’s thrilling to consider which other iconic names might follow suit.