Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 released last fall to high praise. Fans of the popular franchise were treated to a nostalgic trip thanks to the remastered versions of the classic skateboarding games.
The collection originally only released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, leaving fans wondering if the game would receive support for the anticipated new consoles.
Yesterday, Nintendo and Tony Hawk teased the potential release of the game for Nintendo Switch, but it looks like fans are getting much more than a simple port to the hybrid device.
TONY HAWK IS COMING TO NEXT-GEN
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on March 26.
Owners of the base digital version on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One must pay $10 to upgrade to the next-gen version, while owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition get a free upgrade, according to VentureBeat .
It appears that only owners of the physical version of the game on PlayStation 4 can upgrade to the next-gen version. Xbox One physical owners seemingly have no upgrade option, according to industry analyst Wario64 .
Correction: the physical upgrade applies to only the PS4 version. Xbox One physical owners will not have an upgrade option https://t.co/xqVP0npvjT
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will offer big improvements from the base version of the game. VertureBeat notes that the new consoles can run the game at “ 120 FPS at 1080p or at native 4K at 60 FPS (1440p and upscale to 4K for Xbox Series S).” Spatial audio will also be supported.
The announcement tweet can be found below:
Get ready to drop in and take #THPS 1+2 to the next level on New Platforms 🛹 🙌 Coming to PS5™, Xbox Series X|S - March 26 and on Nintendo Switch™ - Coming 2021. AVAILABLE NOW on PS4™, Xbox One, and PC. pic.twitter.com/NUVbECnx1e
A NEXT-GEN UPGRADE FOR A PRICE
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the latest next-gen video game upgrade, following in the footsteps of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time , one of Activision’s other franchises. The difference, however, is the $10 price tag for Tony Hawk’s upgrade. Many next-gen upgrades are free for pre-existing owners, so this upgrade stands out. Though $10 is certainly cheaper than a full re-purchase, it still represents a barrier for fans of the game.
The lack of an upgrade path for physical owners of the Xbox One version is rather bizarre. Xbox has been heralded as a champion for backwards compatibility , so this is an odd position for physical owners of the game to find themselves in. It’s unclear whether this will be resolved or is an issue that can’t be fixed.
The most notable upgrade for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the dramatic improvement of its frame rate. Few games have achieved 120 FPS on next-gen consoles. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 ’s upgrade represents a huge improvement, and it will be counted among the short list of games that can run at 120 FPS.
PLAYSTATION Writer