EA To Take On Tony Hawk??? News

Think skateboarding videogames, and it's inevitable that Neversoft's Tony Hawk series will be in the minds of most gamers. For years the franchise has enjoyed a near-monopoly on the X-game, and continues to be a significant revenue generator for publisher Actvision.

However, reports from North America suggest that Mr Hawk may be in for some rivalry.

A US PSM article has unveiled the development of 'Skate' for PlayStation3, which is apparently being produced by EA Canada. Up to fourteen skaters will feature in the game (though don't expect Tony to be one of them), along with EA's character customisation mode. Multiplayer support will also be included in the game, together with claims that it's being made for to take advantage of the PS3's 1080p high-definition capabilities. According to the report, the control system will be intuitive and include a dual-analogue mechanic called 'Flickit', ensuring that grinding will be different every time.

EA was responsible for releasing the short-lived Skate or Die series back in the late 1980s, and aside from the co-published Simpsons Skateboarding in 2002, the company has had little dealings with the sport for nearly twenty years.

Although confirmation is yet to be made, expect Skate to be released under EA's BIG label in 2007, joining the likes of the Street family of franchises.

We'll have more news shortly...