Skate 3 Coming with Co-Op Play on May 11

Electronic Arts, as the publisher, and Black Box, as the developer, have announced that Skate 3 will be launched on the North American market on May 11 with the worldwide launch coming three days later. Skate 3 is set to be released on the PlayStation 3 from Sony and the Xbox 360 from Microsoft, emphasize cooperative gameplay.

The new skating simulation takes place in the newly built virtual city of Port Caverton, which is specifically constructed to allow for quick speeds and incredible tricks. Players will be able to skate solo but also build teams that can play cooperatively online against others.

There is a new Skate School where new comers to the series can see what the game has to offer and how the most spectacular tricks can be delivered. There is also a fresh Skate Park editor allowing players to create a new skating area suited to their style and their needs and then share them online with other players.

Jason DeLong, the senior producer working on Skate 3, says that “Since the very beginning of the Skate franchise, we have captured the true essence of skateboarding, be it from the feel of nailing that perfect trick, to the feeling of just hanging out and seasoning with your friends. For us, SKATE 3 is the culmination of this endeavor – the most connected, accessible and social skateboarding experience yet.” The game has a shot at being a best seller, especially considering the less than impressive impact of Tony Hawk RIDE, the peripheral-powered rival game Activision launched late in 2009.

The sheer number of skaters included in Skate 3 is impressive, featuring Andrew Reynolds, John Cardiel, Benny Fairfax, John Rattray, Braydon Szafranski, Josh Kalis, Chris Cole, Lizard King, Chris Haslam, Lucas Puig, Colin McKay, Mark Appleyard, Dan Drehobl, Mike Carroll and many others.