Celebrity Byte

Tony Hawk riding high above a halfpipe in the Mojave Desert. Photo by Jody Morris.

How involved are you in making these games today?

I get the builds as they're making the game. I'm mostly testing the authenticity of it. When I play it, I want it to test the skaters, tricks, and locations. I want it to feel like at its core it's still a skating game that hasn't gone off on some type of unreality or too many tangents. I try to keep it authentic. It's actually a lot easier than it used to be. Neversoft, the developer, clearly understands skateboarding now. It's not like I have to give them a crash course in trick names or styles.

What's the challenge of coming up with something new every year?

The best part of the skating games is the freedom involved. Skating is an individual pursuit and it's constantly progressing. It's not just new teams and new uniforms like in the Madden franchise -- it's new moves, new techniques, new riders, and new challengers. The world of skateboarding is as much of an art form as it is a sport. I think our game lends itself to much more variety.

What impact has your video game had on the actual sport?

I think the video game has helped to build a fan base of skaters that aren't necessarily skaters themselves. The biggest challenge of breaking through a popularity cycle in the past was that the only people watching it and appreciating it were the ones who were doing it. Now our game and The X-Games has created a generation of people who are happy to watch it and have never tried skating themselves. I think that's really helped it break through in terms of skating having longevity and popularity becoming more stable instead of going in and out like a trend.

The world of skateboarding is as much of an art form as it is a sport.

Tony Hawk getting the Klipsch audio experience in Miami, Florida. Photo by Chris Weeks.

What impact do you see competition from EA Sports' SKATE game having on the skateboarding genre this year?

If nothing else, it has solidified skateboarding as a genre. A lot of people thought that we were the genre. But the fact that skating is another type of video game instead of just a novelty is a huge deal. I just feel like we've been doing it for so long and we know what's possible and we know what the skate video game crowd wants, I'm excited that we're going to do a new game and it's going to be that much better. But I'm also excited that people will see that there are other types of games as well, and that there are other directions you can go in the skate genre. I still think our game is going to be the most fun to play if you're not a hardcore skater.

How often do you get to skate?

I do that most of the time. I'm on my way to a ramp down in San Diego right now and I'm stuck in traffic while I'm talking to you. That's really what drives me. I wouldn't feel right about doing video games or these types of endorsements if I wasn't skating myself. If I wasn't walking the walk, I'd feel like I was just faking it.

Continue to Page 2 >>