Skate 3 Announced by Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts has announced that it is developing a new game in the Skate series, with the aim of releasing it to the public in May 2010. The main new feature of the third title in the series is the addition of team-based gameplay as players will need to build their own skating crews, compete against other groups and generally increase their skills and visibility in Port Carverton, the new location introduced in Skate 3. The EA franchise is in direct competition with the Tony Hawk series from Activision, which is getting a new title this fall.

Jason DeLong, who is the senior producer on the game, stated that “The social and community aspects of the SKATE franchise are something we’ve always embraced, but we’ve never done anything to the scale you’re going to see in SKATE 3. We’re giving gamers a very unique experience by providing them with the tools they need to build their ultimate team or to create a team comprised entirely of their online friends. From there, it’s all about proving yourself – teaming up, and throwing down.”

The cooperative gameplay will allow for complex interactions between the characters as they help each other perform tricks or as their hinder progress when they are not working in sync. The title is also set to introduce a new mode called skate.

School allows players to improve their riding skills while the user-created content of the series will be enhanced with skate. Create permits gamers to design new graphics, fresh skate park areas and complex videos that can be shared afterwards.

Electronic Arts is already talking about the pre-order bonuses for Skate 3, saying that early buyers will be getting a code allowing them to access the Black Box Distribution Skate Park, where they can compete against the Zero, Mystery and the Fallen skate teams.