For a long time now, the term "AAA games industry" has brought to mind some very particular things. To some, it means annual releases. To others, the term "digital deluxe pre-order" might come to mind. Mostly, AAA has come to refer to titles that promise enormous worlds, immersive storytelling, and open-ended gameplay. But outside of some of Nintendo’s first-party releases, one word you’re probably not using to describe AAA gaming is "retro." And yet, here comes Activision, moving in an unmistakably old-school direction with the recently announced Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4.
Its predecessor, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, was a game that was retro by necessity. After the series endured countless critical and financial failures, culminating in Pro Skater 5 nearly putting the franchise into the grave, Pro Skater 1+2 felt like a move by Activision to win back the crowd with a guaranteed hit. The game marked a return to traditional Tony Hawk: clear all the objectives in a level, and then focus on getting as high a score as possible within a two-minute time limit.
