PS3 Informer

"Skate" to Become Yearly Franchise?

It hasn't been that long since Skate 2 came out, and Electronic Arts is already hyping the next installment in the series, Skate 3. The game is slated to arrive on the Xbox 360 and PS3 systems this coming May. While this seems like a quick cash grab, we can't really fault EA because the first two games in the series were so good.

According to the publisher, Skate 3 will improve upon the succesful formula by 'bringing the competitive excitement of real-life skateboarding into the hands of gamers,' whatever that means. In online and offline play, gamers will team up to build the ultimate skate crew in the definitive skateboarding co-op experience. Players take part in team-based challenges, compete against rival crews and leave their mark on the all-new skater's paradise, Port Carverton. Other improvements include a beefed up Hall of Meat mode and a Create feature that allows players to design their own graphics and skate parks.

"The social and community aspects of the Skate franchise are something we've always embraced, but we've never done anything to the scale you're going to see in SKATE 3," said Senior Producer, Jason DeLong. "We're giving gamers a very unique experience by providing them with the tools they need to build their ultimate team or to create a team comprised entirely of their online friends. From there, it's all about proving yourself - teaming up, and throwing down."

Players who pre-order Skate 3 will get an unlock code that gives them exclusive access to the iconic Black Box Distribution Skate Park. Black Box Distribution was founded in 2000 by Jamie Thomas, and houses and distributes some of skateboarding's biggest selling brands .