The Tony Hawk video game franchise is already a winner in itself, but Activision, Neversoft, and Tony Hawk still saw it fit to do some overhaul in the franchise's direction. Dubbed as the "Tony Hawk Innovation Plan," what can fans expect from this move? Read more in the full article.

In a presentation to industry analysts, Electronic Arts' president Frank Gibeau has announced that they will be releasing sequels for both Skate (Xbox 360, PS3) and Mass Effect as well as a new Burnout game. If you want to find out more, head on over to the full article by clicking on the "read more" link below.

In order to extend its success to 2008, Activision has several plans and a healthy line-up of games. Among its steps to make more money is innovating with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater to compete against Electronic Arts' successful Skate. Learn more about this at the full article.

It's been quite a while since we last heard about Bomberman Land, Hudson Soft's title about the white-garbed superdeformed Bomberperson for the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation Portable. Now, we get a closer look at how the game looks and plays, with a trailer video that shows off pretty much everything the game has to offer, from the menus, the cutscenes, to the game themselves. Neat!

Check out the video in the full article.

It must feel awesome to have a character designed after you in a PSP game, or for any game for that matter! But while this is but a dream for most of us, Jonathan "Djon" Choquel lives it. Hot PXL's creator talks about his baby, and how it came to be.

Prior to being tapped as Creative Director, Djon worked as a journalist, with two magazines and a podcast under his belt. As he used to write and deal with mostly skateboarding and street culture lifestyle, it then makes perfect sense that Atari and zSlide would think to make him the game's hero.

His experiences with street-culture is greatly reflected in this collection of "micro-games". From the aesthetics to the photo-realism to the street-influenced graphics, you know it's street. You feel it's street. And that's what makes this game so cool. It's fuss-free and really laid-back, while at the same time providing for some funky and challenging fun.

For example, they didn't call the games in here "micro" for nothing! That's because they really are uber short. As in, five or so seconds short. Really darned short. And that's where the exciting part comes in. With so little time and so much to do, you better make sure you get it right in as little use of "lives" as possible. And getting the wrong answer per question ain't pretty, as you'll see Djon himself getting blasted. It's gory in a twisted sense, but the pixelated blood graphics successfully tones it down to something remotely humorous.

Anyway, Hot PXL also allows you to immerse yourself into the not-so-typical day of an urban explorer. As Djon puts it, you can just "cross a busy street, customize sneakers, write on the griptape of a skateboard, take snapshots of street art, enhance a photo on a computer, play BreakOut on the facade of a skyscraper, scratch a vinyl back and forth... or simply chomp burgers!"

Hmmm...well, ain't that the good life?

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 you're looking to buy someone a PSP, or if you just want another one for yourself, then this just might be the perfect time to buy one because the new PSP bundle is about to be released a few hours from now.

The new Entertainment Pack holiday bundle, which carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $249, includes a black model PSP along with three freebies: a movie, a game, and a 1GB memory stick. The bundled movie is Lords of Dogtown, a movie about the surf and skateboarding trends that originated in Venice, California during the 1970's. The bundled game, on the other hand, is ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails. The game has been recently entered into the PSP's Greatest Hits line.

The Entertainment Pack sounds like quite a bargain. According to Sony, if purchased separately, everything in the bundle would set you back around $300. With the extra $51, you can still buy another game or two, or maybe get the bundle gift-wrapped for that special someone you're giving it to.

PSP World announced the UMD movie Tony Hawk Presents The End. This title ($17.99) is an off-the-wall film featuring the world's leading pro skateboard athletes such as Tony Hawk, Steve Berra, Ali Cairns, Keith Kirchart, Bucky Lasek, Willy Santos, and Rick McCrank. Starlets Janine Lindemulder and Kobe Tai are in there, as well. Directed by Jamie Mosberg, the UMD has explosions, beheadings, chimpanzees drinking beer, but the focus is on some cool and intense skateboarding.

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