Digital PC game retailer Steam has given an announcement that Tony Hawk: Pro Skater HD will soon be unavailable for purchase ever again. On July 17, publisher Activision will be pulling the game from Steam. The game will also be on an 80% weeklong deal until the removal date, so that people can buy the game for cheap before it's gone for good from the market. Activision nor Steam gave a reason as to why THPS HD will be removed, though it likely is due to the game's music content. A similar occurrence happened with Alan Wake, earlier this year, as the game was taken down, as the publishers were not willing to extend the music license. It is not known if the Xbox or PlayStation Stores will also face the same delisting, but PSN will update with new sales later today, so we could potentially have an answer by then.

Source

 

[FAST6191]

I never really gave it a chance but this guy covered most of what I imagine I would say

I have my fair share of disagreements with his approach to the world at times but this we would likely say much the same for.

And here i was, assuming that when a game company puts a game to the market, they own all their own content (or at least have not time-limited use of it). I get they don't want to keep throwing money at a game after people spend money on it, so I can understand they pull the plug on online servers at some point... But if i understand this correctly, they basically leased the music tracks. And that's not really fair to buyers (even though they apparently don't lose the game from their stream library).

I'm not really sure what to think of people quickly buying the game now. Those who really wanted it already had plenty of opportunity, and it's not like the game gets better Bredase there's a time constraint (wake up guys: none of us lives forever, so chances are you never make it through your backlog of games* in the first place).

* And even so: games gets churned out faster than anyone can consume, so an immortal one has no reason to buy it either

A music publisher saying a dev can no longer sell a game they pressed already would be shitty, in this brave new world of digital games then I can see each copy sold being a new instance and thus time limited contracts become a thing.
That said I imagine music peeps got caught out by the massive rise of games, and they certainly saw skateboarding fly under the radar for years (watch basically any 90s/early 2000s video, even the big boys and power players in the industry, and wonder how they licensed the music there. Shortcut if you don't fancy watching them http://www.skatevideosite.com/index.php?page=skatevideos&sort=year&p=28 ).

What bothers me more is when franchises (not necessarily of games) get sold and old games in them get delisted and such. I understand it is the nature of contract law and licensing agreements, and would be more than happy for the money to go to the newer owners and such. Equally when sports games get such things then you also get something similar (and then EA makes their sports games I generally find quite peh).

 

[air2004]

I hate all the licence BS. Once the game is created, the music on the game shouldn't stop it from being sold in future because of a stupid "licence".

That makes to much sense.

 

[Kioku]

So, I bought it.. No multiplayer.. Inconsistent controls.. Bugs galore.. Instant refund. I'm glad they're getting rid of it. Not even worth $2.

 

[DS1]

The game features levels from THPS2. "The game was rebuilt and polished by Robomodo using Neversoft’s original code and includes the best seven levels from THPS and THPS2 (Warehouse, School 2, Mall, Phoenix, Hangar, Marseilles and Venice). There is a combination of new school and old school pros (Nyjah Huston, Chris Cole, Eric Koston, Andrew Reynolds, Rodney Mullen, Lyn-z Adams Hawkins Pastrana, Riley Hawk and Tony Hawk himself) and the soundtrack is half classic THPS tracks and fresh ones. Multiple online multiplayer modes round out the action!"

All true, except they didn't polish it, they built it on a garbage engine that basically ruined the feel of the original games. It wouldn't have been so bad, except that "feel" is what made the series so fun to begin with. Similar to how the XBLA Turtles in Time was total garbage

 

[gbazone]

It was a garbage remake anyway. It uses the Unreal Engine instead of the original engine which is practically perfect. Get a PS2 emulator and play THPS3 and THPS4 with the graphics upscaled. The best version of THPS2 is the Dreamcast one.

 

[Dr.Hacknik]

good riddance now if only they could get rid of all the weaboo shit next

Hehe, I hope you're being sarcastic.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Still may be better than THPS5,

 

[the_randomizer]

Still may be better than THPS5,

Any THPS game is, the fifth one is abortive garbage.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Any THPS game is, the fifth one is abortive garbage.

Was I the only one who played the GBA Tony hawk downhill jam? That is the absolute worst.
It look like star fox if it was on SNES but no where near as fun.

 

[the_randomizer]

Was I the only one who played the GBA Tony hawk downhill jam? That is the absolute worst.
It look like star fox if it was on SNES but no where near as fun.

Lol that looks pretty bad, GBA wasn't meant to render 3D.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Lol that looks pretty bad, GBA wasn't meant to render 3D.

Well Donkey Kong Country still look good on GBA.
But this game was a waste of money, I never tried any other version of downhill jam, but I bought that one cause I owned GBA and thought a tony Hawk Racing game would be fun.

 

[the_randomizer]

Well Donkey Kong Country still look good on GBA.
But this game was a waste of money, I never tried any other version of downhill jam, but I bought that one cause I owned GBA and thought a tony Hawk Racing game would be fun.

Yes, but the washed out colors and horrible audio quality, I don't like any Snes to GBA port at all.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Yes, but the washed out colors and horrible audio quality, I don't like any Snes to GBA port at all.

No one does, I'm the only one. Colors, looks and audio aside, the games do offer something more. Back then we was playin our favorite game on the go anywhere. (Let's just hope nintendo switch VC is coming soon... and maybe have Gamecube..... tony hawk)

 

[DJPlace]

and this is why the world is messed up.

 

[DarkRioru]

damn it.... I don't have enough funds on my card when I really need this game part of my library because of my love for tony hawk games... this series was a huge staple of my childhood...