Activision's second attempt to recapture lightning in a bottle with lending the games instant credibility that has lasted the test of time.
In fact, it could be argued that the entire movement of a game (especially a sports game) having a set licensed soundtrack gained popularity because of the success of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Much like music videos before it, a whole new audience was finding new tunes in a natural way, leading to big opportunities for game-makers and record companies alike. Would the era of EA Trax and its imitators from the early 2000s even happen without Tony Hawk leading the way? Possibly not, and that shows that it's just as important for Activision to nail the backing tracks as well as the gameplay in their Tony Hawk's Pro Skater remake.
Earlier today, Activision teamed with Vice music site Noisey to host a fifteen-minute reveal of the new additions to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 soundtrack. In total, players will be able to enjoy thirty-seven new songs coming from a mixture of established and up and coming artists that represent "the diverse sounds of skateboarding." The new names range in genre from rap to punk and everything in between. The artists are also a good range, going from names players might recognize like Machine Gun Kelly and Reel Big Fish to newer voices like Merkules and Chick Norris.
This is all in addition to the returning soundtrack from the original series, which features classics from artists like Papa Roach, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion, and Rage Against The Machine. The reveal video features both new and returning skaters talking about the music of the series and its importance to the legacy of those initial games. It then transitions into some footage from some of the bands recording newer songs that will be on the soundtrack. Overall, the digital concert features full performances from CHAII, Merkules, Machine Gun Kelly, and Rough Francis as well as a tracklisting of the new songs that appear in the remake.
The fact that Activision is investing heavily in a new soundtrack for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 shows that they're at least in the right headspace for this nostalgia-fueled release. Back in 2012, Activision tapped developer Robomodo for an Xbox Live Arcade-sized remake that sacrificed in of gameplay quality. While it was recognizable as Tony Hawk, it wasn't to the standards that the franchise deserves. It's one of the few names in sports games that attracts pretty much everyone, and it has somehow survived plastic skateboards, downhill jams and whatever Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 was supposed to be. If that craven cash grab couldn't kill the franchise, nothing will.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 will release for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on September 9.
Source: Noisey