When a gaming company manages to churn out a hit franchise, we'd most probably think that they hit paydirt, like what Activision did when they came up with the Guitar Hero series of games. However, the benefits of coming up with a great title may be a bit of a bane as well.

According to analyst Mike Hickey from Janco Partners, the emerging competition resulting from Activision's Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk franchises may prove to be "damaging for growth prospects".

Of course, when talking about Guitar Hero's and Tony Hawk's competition, it can only mean Harmonix' Rock Band (for the Xbox 360, PS3) and EA's Skate (also for the Xbox 360 and PS3). Hickey said that Rock Band may prove to be a compelling option in the console music gaming genre, which may eventually mean trouble for Activision itself.

Hickey said that analysts are expecting the Guitar Hero series to develop and evolve with the addition of new music peripherals in the near future, which will help the franchise in staying afloat in the midst of competition.

As one of the biggest-selling videogame franchises in the world, the Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games has never ceased to elicit anticipation and excitement from fans. While Xbox 360 owners in Europe are already enjoying all the flips and tricks in Tony Hawk's Project 8, European gamers who are still waiting for the PSP version will have to wait just a (not so wee) bit longer.

According to French gaming site Jeux-France.com, the PSP version of the latest title in the Tony Hawk franchise has been delayed, with the release date pushed back to sometime before March 2007. Now, whichever way you look at it, that's a pretty long delay, and so in a bid to assuage (kind of) fans' feelings, Activision has released three images of the PSP version of Tony Hawk's Project 8. Check 'em out below.

We know it's tiring for you guys to have to rifle through one game blog after another, figuring out which games are launching on which day. With that in mind, we're giving you guys your semi-weekly dose of weekly game releases, so relax, and prepare your shopping list come Monday. Xbox 360 fans will be thrilled to know that GoW will be landing next week, as well as CoD3.

• 11.06.06: 1701 A.D. (PC)
• 11.06.06: Elite Beat Agents (DS)
• 11.07.06: Call of Duty 3 (Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2)
• 11.07.06: Digimon World DS (DS)
• 11.07.06: Gears of War (Xbox 360)
• 11.07.06: Sega Genesis Collection (PS2, PSP)
• 11.07.06: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent (PC)
• 11.07.06: Tony Hawk’s Project 8 (Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, PSP)
• 11.08.06: Patriots: A Nation Under Fire (PC)
• 11.09.06: Viva Piñata (Xbox 360)

Be sure to call up your nearest retail stores before running out to get these games. As the image says - it's that time of the year for fun with your posse.

More quality than quantity, more depth on all sides (except on the storyline) rather than just updating the last release - this is what should describe Tony Hawk's Project 8 that's coming out on  the PS2, Xbox, PS3, Xbox 360, and PSP. Some of you have already seen a number of footages we've posted here and are already familiar with new features of the game such as the "Nail the Trick". However, we dug for more juicy bits concerning the single player and multiplayer modes of the game and we found out something that you just might like. Read on.

As we know, THP8, being a multiplatform game, (and especially designed to fit the next-gen consoles' graphics capabilities) have been subject to ridicule by some gamers who say it's just a rehash of the old titles. Actually, Neversoft made it more like a melange of the classic Tony Hawk series and pitched in some new, more interesting stuff. In the PS3 single player mode, these are what you'll find:

• 200 separate (new and classic) goals, ranking: Amateur, Pro, and Sick
• (Xbox 360) ambient goals: scattered trick lines that allow players to explore while completing a goal
• a full and more detailed stats report
• hidden "secret tapes" or discs that unlock live action videos
• controls revamp requiring more diverse tricks instead of repetitive ones (most notable in "Nail the Trick")

In the multiplayer mode called "Walls", check these out: 

• other skaters that run on your trails scores you points and lengthens your trail
• (Xbox 360) multiplayer, online, and supports up to 8 players
• (PS3) two players, split-screen mode

If anything, THP8 running on next-gen consoles is going to be one kickass game by the time it gets launched. Our limited rundowns won't suffice but for the meantime, we'll keep you posted on the buzz when they come.

Pre-Order: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for the Xbox 360]
Pre-Order: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for the PSP]

Imagine playing Gears of War with Enya or Jessica Simpson playing in the background. Or Assasin's Creed with Cyndi Lauper and Aqua. Can't do it, can ya? Us neither. Because whether you're aware of it or not, the soundtrack plays a huge role in pumping up your adrenaline while playing a game. So when we get our filthy little hands on news about game soundtracks, we think you guys should get a heads up on it.

So, the latest in-game soundtrack we scored some info on is for Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PS3, PSP, PS2, Xbox, Xbox360). This early on, we can tell you that the soundtrack rocks. And as Tim Riley, Activision's worldwide executive of music, puts it, "The Tony Hawk's Project 8 soundtrack features an eclectic collection of original and licensed music from punk rock and hip hop to metal. The music captures the rebellious, off-beat, high energy vibe exemplified in skate culture and in the video game."

You got that right, Tim. With tunes from The Ramones, Sonic Youth, Toots & the Maytals, and then backtracks to the 80s with The Cure and Kool and the Gang, the soundtrack showcases a cross-genre collection of tracks suited for the overall feel of the game. The massive (and boy, do we mean MASSIVE) track list also includes the debut single from the group Plus-44. Here's the massive track list for Project 8:

• 76% Uncertain - "Radio"
• Aurelius- "Hemlock"
• Bad Religion - "Social Suicide"
• Black Mountain - "Druganaut"
• Charizma & PB Wolf - "Devotion"
• Claus Grabke - "Cause"
• Cryptic Slaughter - "Lowlife"
• Damian Marley - "Move"
• Dead Milkmen, The - "Punk Rock Girl"
• Die Young (TX) - "Anthem of the Prodigal Son"
• Eagles of Death Metal - "Chase The Devil"
• Funk Face - "Zoo York City"
• Gnarls Barkley - "Gone Daddy Gone"
• Gym Class Heroes - "The Queen And I"
• Hieroglyphics - "At The Helm"

Check out the rest of the track list in the full article.

Some of us play video games because it allows us to escape and assume a role that we frustratingly can't accomplish in real life. Take for example trying to absorb little yellow blobs into your system. If it wasn't for Loco Roco, none of us would be able to live out our dreams of being a big yellow blob (err, do some of us even have those kinds of fantasies?).

Now you have a game that allows lazy/wannabe skaters (like some of us geeks here in QJ) to bust it out and grind it on the pavement with Tony Hawk's Project 8, available for the PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, and Xbox. Yes, now we have no excuse to be moping about on the couch and being idle. This game is going to take us for a ride, without having to experience all the painful blows to our "sensitive parts".

These screenshots show us two modes that are going to be available in the game from Activision. Some of you Tony Hawk regulars might be familiar with them already: Graffiti and Score Challenge. The first one is won by the player with the most "tagged" areas as everyone does tricks to mark them. The second mode is basically a race to achieve a certain number of points.

Have a look-see. Click the pics to enlarge them!

  

Pre-Order: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PSP)]
Pre-Order: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 (X360)]

These guys really work hard to get their moves in Tony Hawk's Project 8. (for PSP, PS3 and Xbox 360) After our feature on "P-Rod" Rodriguez and Steve Williams, we now bring you (courtesy of YouTube and GameVideos) Dustin Dollin and Nyjah Huston wearing the "funny motion-capture suit" and putting themselves through the moves for the game.

Dustin hails from Australia - his voice could be a dead giveaway. Besides that accent, this character's also bringing into the game, as he himself admits, a couple of "special new tricks" he's thought up.

Nyjah's only about 11, turning 12 this year. Believe it. He's the youngest X-gamer in the field, and now he's the youngest skater in Project 8. He finds it amazing that he's featured in the game, along with other amazing legends in the skateboarding world like Hawk and Burnquist . We, on the other hand, find it amazing that he's that young. After all, what were we doing when we were 11 or 12? Anyway, want to see the tyke in action? Download link's below.

Download: [Project 8 Nyjah Huston mo-cap]
Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for the PSP]
Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for the Xbox 360]

If there's one thing that's mind-blowing about Tony Hawk's skateboarding games, it's that you never feel sad when you make your character mess a trick to see him plummet to his doom. They never die in this game, anyway. Speaking of never dying, one of the best ways to get yourself immortalized these days is by being placed into a video game. You don't age, don't need food (unless you're in a life simulation), and you have a lot of free time on your hands.

Time to welcome one of these immortals in our midst as Paul "P-Rod" Rodriguez makes his way onto the latest trailer for Tony Hawk Project 8. In this quick clip, we get to see P-Rod in action as his moves get translated from the real world into the virtual landscape. While he did get into the "funny motion-capture suit," as he himself put it, for the video, you can't deny the style with which he skates and does his tricks.

You can download the 320x180 video of Activision's new Project 8 trailer here. Expect P-Rod, Tony Hawk, and a host of other board riders to make their way onto the 360, PS3 and PSP in November.

Download: [Tony Hawk's Project 8: Featuring P-Rod]
Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PSP)]

As you already know, Activision has already said that Tony Hawk's Project 8 is scheduled for release this fall on pretty much every console except for the Wii which will have their own version-- Downhill Jam. The game is already boasting new gameplay mechanics that was announced by Activision late June of this year.

In Tony Hawk's Project 8, you could take advantage of the movie mode. Using this one, you'd have to work with a director or a filmmaker and you'll have to follow his instructions no matter how absurdly hard they are. Not only would you have to impress the whims of your power-playing director but you would also have to impress in-game citizens and pedestrians to build up respect. The pedestrians watch you perform tricks, laugh at brutal bails and punch you in the gut for knocking into them. Nice!

But, some people have been forgetting the hard work it requires to be able to make dominant skateboard tricks such as the ollie and the grind. So the people at Activision wishes to let the gamers take a sneak-peek of just how much hard work they put in during motion capturing (or Mocap) sessions by releasing this video taken during Steve Williams' Mocap session. So go ahead and take a look at how hard devs and skateboarding experts are working for you to bring ultimate gaming right in the comforts of your home.

Download: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 Mo-Cap Session Video]

Today Activision released the latest and official Tony Hawk's Project 8 fact sheet. The game is scheduled for release this Fall on pretty much every console except for the Wii - they'll have their own version (Downhill Jam). If you really want to know, it's for the Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Xbox and PS2. The game will feature "...new gameplay mechanics, Tony Hawk’s Project 8 challenges fans with the most goals ever in a Tony Hawk game."

You'll have a movie mode in which you go with a filmmaker and have to follow his instructions. And, for the first time ever, players must impress in-game citizens and pedestrians to build up respect. The pedestrians watch you perform tricks, laugh at brutal bails and punch you in the gut for knocking into them. Promising.

Here's the fact sheet fresh from Activision:

Product Description:
Re-engineered from the ground up for Sony and Microsoft’s next-generation consoles, Tony Hawk’s Project 8 immerses players in the definitive skateboarding experience using ultra-realistic graphics, enhanced physics and extremely responsive controls that simulate the feeling of skating with every trick and bail. The game challenges players to experience the intensity and pressure of skating against some of the world’s top pros in true to life competitions as they aim to become the #1 skater and establish their town as a skateboard destination. Delivering continuous skating action in a free-roaming living environment, Tony Hawk’s Project 8 incorporates the series’ most popular features, all of which have been enhanced with next-generation technology.

Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
Developer: Neversoft Entertainment (Xbox 360, PS3)
Shaba Games (Xbox, PS2 – NOTE: gameplay/content may vary)
PSP (Page 44 Studios)
Release Date: Fall 2006
SRP: TBD
ESRB rating: Rating Pending by the ESRB