Tony Hawk: Ride is 360 exclusive in UK

By Games Industry.biz Published 20 May, 2009

Microsoft in Santa's pocket.

Update:Activision clarified that Tony Hawk: Ride will not be an Xbox 360 exclusive.

Activision has revealed that Tony Hawk: RIDE will be exclusive to the Xbox 360 in the UK.

The game was revealed late last week for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, but Microsoft has seemingly grabbed the highly-anticipated title for itself in the region.

"Further to Monday's announcement regarding Tony Hawk: RIDE, Activision UK is pleased to announce that this title will be launched later this year in the UK, as an Xbox 360 platform exclusive," said the company.

The game is a reinvention of one of Activision's biggest franchises, and will ship complete with a skateboard peripheral when it's released later this year.

The exclusivity deal will be a seen as a blow to Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii during the busy Christmas period, although Activision has not detailed whether the title will be released on other formats at a later date.

The title is due to be demoed at E3 in June.

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Comments (85) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • david78 #1 3 years ago

    I hate this generation.
    The game will be shit anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:02

  • insincere_dave #2 3 years ago

    I love platform exclusivity!

  • Aggesan #3 3 years ago

    Only for the UK? What kind of shit is that? Are Microsoft getting cheap?

  • Monkey_Puncher #4 3 years ago

    This doesn't make any logical sense...

    The game doesn't look great though, so probably not the biggest loss for PS3 owners anyway.

  • xagarath #5 3 years ago

    Microsoft, kindly go strangle yourself with your own intestines.

  • Kill_Crazy #6 3 years ago

    If you like this type of game (i don't, personally) then just get a US copy. No?

  • myiagros #7 3 years ago

    If this has been announced as a platform exclusive, then turns up elsewhere later i will fucking scream.

    Exclusive used to mean exclusive, we all knew where we stood, if you wanted the game you had to buy the platform. Now everything is so manipulative and deceptive, you never know what will happen with exclusive titles a few months down the line.

    At least with Ghostbusters we know that it is coming to everything else later in the year, so those without a Sony console can wait it out safe in the knowledge they will be able to play the game, just not right away.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:12

  • Darren #8 3 years ago

    Can't say I'm too excited about this game at all, the current generation Tony Hawk games have all been dire IMO. The series has been heading downhill (ho ho) since Tony Hawk 4 on the Xbox really.

  • david78 #9 3 years ago

    Ghostbusters was sorta different because Atari Europe was in the shit and they probs sold it to the highest bidder, but this is ACTIVISION!

  • Gnort #10 3 years ago

    @Kill_Crazy

    Most Xbox 360 games are region locked, so that may not be an option.

  • Aretak #11 3 years ago

    I don't think you understand the scenario being presented, Gnort. He's saying that if you're a PS3 owner who wants it badly, you can just import. 360 owners obviously won't need to.

  • Eraysor #12 3 years ago

    I'm a 360 owner, and that is fucking retarded. PS3 owners aren't in too much trouble thanks to the PS3 being import friendly, but it sucks if you only have a Wii. Especially considering this could be the next Guitar Hero.

  • mooseman721 #13 3 years ago

    ps3 = region free. thankyou and goodnight.

  • Dunk_13 #14 3 years ago

    activision get money for the exclusive, but any ps3 owner who wants this can just import it so activison lose minimal amounts.

  • Steroyd #15 3 years ago

    Sony have done the same with Ghostbusters the snivelling little bitches.

    And now Microsoft have followed suit.

    It'd be some half assed attempt on Microsofts behalf, at least Sony's Ghostbuster deal covers all of Europe.

  • owl #16 3 years ago

    @Gnort,

    I think he meant UK PS3 owners.

    This game looks like absolutely arse-gravy (thanks Fry) and any PS3 owner considering paying import postage on that stupid plastic board would be better off buying Skate and a big bag of sweets.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #17 3 years ago

    MS are welcome to this game. If I had to choose one game to not be able to buy, it would be this.

  • Gnort #18 3 years ago

    @owl

    My apologies, there seems to have been a horrendous failure somewhere between my eyes reading the info and my brain processing it.

    /covers head in embarrassment

  • menage #19 3 years ago

    How about oprdering a Dutch one then? They're always in English.

    @Eraysor

    Next guitar hero. Not a chance in hell. Too niche.

    The Wii version would be totally different anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:24

  • McBradders #20 3 years ago

    Ugh. This shit needs to stop.

  • jmg123 #21 3 years ago

    1) Worldwide console exclusives (forever) = OK
    2) Worldwide timed console exclusives (e.g Rockband) = Pointless and annoying to all especially the ones who have to wait (but including the ones who get it first, because the same will happen to them with a different game and then they will be annoyed)
    3) Region specific console exclusives = so Fucking pointless it is unbelievable.

    Can't believe they have done this, sony and m$ and activision need to stop behaving like a bunch of 3 yr old t**ts.

    I don't care which console you love/have exclusives that don't fall into the first category above hurt everyone regardless. Shan't ever by a new activision game again, second hand all they way for me.

  • Dizzy #22 3 years ago

    Nerdrage is so funny.

  • Dunk_13 #23 3 years ago

    wii users have skate with the balance board im sure thats good enough.

    and i doubt this will be a permanent exclusive as if it will be good activision will not want to lose out on sales.

  • andywilkie35 #24 3 years ago

    Is this going to be an exclusive like most things are exclusive, i.e. this'll come to PS3 in a few months after release anyway?

    Makes no odds to me, just wondered really

  • Razzajazz #25 3 years ago

    This doesn't even make any sense. First Ghostbusters, now this. What the hell is going on in Europe that us gamers are not being told about?

  • owl #26 3 years ago

    @Gnort

    No need for embarrassment or apologies, we are all friends here. : )

  • Gurgeh #27 3 years ago

    "ps3 = region free. thankyou and goodnight"

    No it isn't, it's just publishers haven't chosen to use the region-locking. Except in this case they probably will.

  • myiagros #28 3 years ago

    @ jmg123 you are absolutely right, but you missed out the 4th catagory Region specific timed console exclusives like Ghostbusters and Rock Band in Europe.

  • Dunk_13 #29 3 years ago

    ghostbusters is different, sony bought the publishing rights. They thought they would get a profit from game sales so in all fairness they bought it. and for sony to publish a multi-platform game is just stupid they own it they may as well keep it exclusive to them

  • patch #30 3 years ago

    Either a) Activision expect it to sell really well on all platforms, and so M$ paid them a shedload or b) the game sucks and Activision took the sure bet of M$ money expecting it to bomb. My question is, do Sony and Microsoft sidle up to publishers with bags full of cash or do the publishers hawk out exclusives to the highest bidder?

  • Beano #31 3 years ago

    "The exclusivity deal will be a seen as a blow to Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii..."

    LOL... no.

  • Dunk_13 #32 3 years ago

    patch sony have stated that they will never pay for exclusives.

  • Beano #33 3 years ago

    Is this EU exclusive or only the UK?

  • infoxicated #34 3 years ago

    mehgaton

  • Les #35 3 years ago

    Shoudn't that be 'timed exclusive'? Not detailing whether other platforms will receive the title is a guarantee that they will do so eventually these days...

    But I agree with the general sentiment that exclusivity deals have reached a new low: a timed exclusivity for just the UK region... :/

    Maybe MS's gaming division doesn't have enough money to buy it for Europe as a whole... As the UK is a 360 region, it shouldn't have cost them much.

  • Machetazo #36 3 years ago

    Activision: money-grabbing opportunists/Microsoft: still desperately struggling to "broaden the appeal", after they trap themselves under the weight of mr. space suit...more at ten! :p

    I'm particularly surprised by Activision, though, because they didn't make the same mistake as EA (idiots) did, in the UK, with Rock Band. Until now! EA didn't get small pockets of appreciation, for what they did. They got a whimper of enthusiasm from the 360 players, and endless requests for information, and their rep thrown down the toilet, by anyone who wanted to support the game, but couldn't AND wasn't being communicated with, outside of recycled corporate backwash.It was an awful, cheap stunt. EA are a total disgrace, and Activision, now, not only fail to learn from their competitor's mistake (no matter what, Rock Band is being outsold in magnitude, vs. Guitar Hero) they're looking all set to go and emulate it...Would never have seen this happening. Talk about defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory.

    Not that I see much to appeal, from the game's showing so far, either (remember, it's got to justify the additional cost and space taken by its peripheral) but that's for another time.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:36

  • kinky_mong #37 3 years ago

    Now this is the fanboy baiting news I was waiting for! *rubs hands with glee*

    For the record though I don't really care about Tony Hawks games. Just wish someone would release a good snowboarding game this generation!

  • Dunk_13 #38 3 years ago

    timed exclusives dont work. i was going to get rockband, but then i heard about gh:Wt and got that. if rockband was released same time on ps3 i would be playing that right now

  • jmg123 #39 3 years ago

    [braveheart style rally cry]
    I think gamers from all 3 consoles should join an active campaign to voice their discontent. When EA put riduclously restrictive drm on spore, C&C, people gave thousands of one star reviews on places like amazon and play.com. So I urge you fellow gamers to do the same for any game that has stupid exclusivity rules (i.e anything that isn't console exclusive forever like halo or gran turismo). I say lets voice our discontent in the thousands, and one star this game everywhere (and ghostbusters, and rockband 2). Who is with me.... [/braveheart style rally cry]
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:41

  • danathjo #40 3 years ago

    cunts

  • morriss #41 3 years ago

    Play.com. Job done.

  • DrDamn #42 3 years ago

    @Gurgeh
    If the choice on region-freeness is purely with the publishers (as it is with the 360) then why are so many games on the 360 locked while the same publishers release region free PS3 versions of the same game?

    The Ghostbusters situation is completely different. That is actually a case of Sony stepping in to save the Euro release from a delay on their platforms. They didn't pay for an exclusivity period - Atari was going to delay all versions outside the US as they couldn't afford a global release. Sony just ensured the versions on their systems were released worldwide to coincide with other stuff they have set for the GB 25th anniversary. Have a read of this ... link.

  • menage #43 3 years ago

    I think 90% of the people bitching here have zero interest in the game. Isn't Skate the new king anyway?

  • Dunk_13 #44 3 years ago

    once again why ghostbusters. sony are the publishers they arnt going to release it on xbox at the same time as ps3

    before complaining and leaving 1* reviews on amazon and play get your facts right
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 11:50

  • Machetazo #45 3 years ago

    Seeing what I have so far, I think the game's a load of rubbish. I could, however, play it, if I wanted to.
    It's funny, but I see Ghostbusters as a different situation. We know that will be available to all, and, I think the justification for Sony making that decision was wholly more valid. They have a big media tie-in opportunity, they own the IP anyway, and non-PS3 players will get the game, through Atari. It gets a bit more shaky, perhaps when you think of Europe's embrace and support of the PlayStation brand, historically - though I'd still throw that in, too as reasoning.

    Rock Band/2, yeah, I can agree that the local handling of that was divisively destructive.

    edit: just read Dr's link. First time I saw that article. I wasn't aware that Atari originally intended to delay PAL release, but Sony took the initiative to prevent that from happening, on their console. Thanks for sharing! :)
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 12:01

  • Beano #46 3 years ago

    I'm surprised that MS bought this (timed?) exclusive - the Tony Hawks games have sucked for years and who will buy the new game with a gimicky skateboard-controller?

    I just don't see a huge marked for this...
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 12:00

  • DrDamn #47 3 years ago

    Ghostbusters was going to be delayed on all platforms in Europe by *Atari*. Sony just stepped in and made sure the PS versions weren't delayed.

  • DrDamn #48 3 years ago

    @Gurgeh
    PS3 Region Free

  • septimus #49 3 years ago

    Assholes. Timed exclusive probably, and judging by most TH games recently will suck compared to Skate 2.

    @Beano: remeber MS want to be Nintendo so will buy up all the gimmicky plastic shit they can find to make their console look soft and fluffy to grandma and 4 year olds.

    Next it will be a big addon touch screen mounting for your tv and a fucking huge stylus to use on it.
    Edited by 2 at 20/05/09 @ 12:12

  • chubster2010 #50 3 years ago

    Paying for exclusivity = Cheap, laughable, pathetic.

  • miiiguel #51 3 years ago

    There are other "lower profile" exclusivity deals that never gets press. Like Skate was never sold for the 360 in Portugal, I asked at Game - after looking everywhere - and they said "Skate is not going to be distributed in Portugal for the 360". And in fact, it never did.

  • Les #52 3 years ago

    "Paying for exclusivity = Cheap, laughable, pathetic."

    Actually, it might be very expensive. ;)

    Unfortunately the deals themselves always include clauses that prevent parties from releasing what has been paid... Only in the case of big deals like GTA IV's DLC they make the news as that was a deal so significant it had to be reported on in the financial statements.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 12:21

  • knocker #53 3 years ago

    I own an 360 - and don't have a lot of interest in this game but this strikes me as deliberately cuntish behaviour from the parties concerned.

    The money paid obviously exceeds the profits Activision were expecting to make on the game (not a sign of confidence in the game) - but mostly it does little seem a little vindictive on MS part. Let your console sell itself - don't try and grief people who had the nerve to buy a different one.

    I wonder how retailers feel about this ? I imagine the high street sellers aren't going to make a big effort to push this brand if their revenue is going to be limited ...

  • miiiguel #54 3 years ago

    Ghostbusters was going to be delayed on all platforms in Europe by *Atari*. Sony just stepped in and made sure the PS versions weren't delayed.

    So, Ghostbuster is a "different" thing? How come? What did Sony do to "step in"? What does "step in" means ?

  • Machetazo #55 3 years ago

    While we're on daft exclusivity (coincidenatally in the same ballpark) - someone get Stoked a European publisher! :( (I want to play some snowboarding, and it's not region free, either)
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 12:32

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #56 3 years ago

    Eurogamer. Make sure you do one thing the next time you interview the relevant people at MS.

    ASK THEM HOW THEY JUSTIFY DOING THIS? GRILL THEM ON IT!

    I'm all for permanent exclusivity on a system as a way of improving a game to your systems specs or convincing people to buy your console. Or if a developer makes the decision at the start based on costs.

    But timed and region exclusives are the single most pathetic and ridiculous thing I have seen in 30 years of gaming. I hope the people concerned are reading this.

    Do they not realise how pointless it is?

  • DrDamn #57 3 years ago

    @miiiguel
    Atari are in financial trouble and restructuring - they couldn't afford to launch a high profile title like Ghostbusters worldwide. So they decided to delay it by 6 months outside the US. Sony had a bit more stuff planned for the 25th anniversary of Ghostbusters - like a BR release and merchandise, so they stepped in and said they will publish the game as scheduled in Europe - but obviously they are only going to do the versions for their own consoles.

    Some supporting links ...
    Atari to be US only
    Summary on a XBox website

  • shotgun44 #58 3 years ago

    The only reason I like exclusives is because I have both consoles. The fact that this game will undoubtedly be shit doesn't make a lot of difference. Not exactly holding out for ghostbusters to be any good either...

  • macksed #59 3 years ago

    this is getting silly now :-/

  • miiiguel #60 3 years ago

    @ Damn: I'm sorry but I'm not sure if I buy that. Not to say that you or the guy that post that "news" are liers but I can't really believe that Sony suits have halos on their heads. I don't think this is a matter of good guys and bad guys.

    And, I wanted to play Ghostbusters. No, but not 399 Eur-that-bad.

  • shotgun44 #61 3 years ago

    We need watchdog style interviews where they don't let anyone speak until the PR person just breaks down in tears and hands over their wallet. Love it.

  • Les #62 3 years ago

    "Do they not realise how pointless it is?"

    Not just pointless but also damaging to gaming as a whole. We hardcore gamers know about this stuff beforehand (and are still often baffled) but the masses don't. It's a bit how the battle between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray made both of them worse off compared to DVD.

    "I'm all for permanent exclusivity on a system as a way of improving a game to your systems specs or convincing people to buy your console. Or if a developer makes the decision at the start based on costs."

    +1

  • DrDamn #63 3 years ago

    @Miiiguel
    It's a lot more believable than the alternatives. Sony have avoided bought in exclusives this gen. If it was a regular bought exclusive then why are Sony having to publish it? The timing of Atari's financial woes and switch to a US only company are just coincidence?

    Think it's something more sinister if you want but this explanation makes a hell of a lot more sense given what we know as fact.

  • mcmonkeyplc #64 3 years ago

    I love how it's the PS3 owners that actually care about this.

    360 owners dont give a shit.

  • Artemus #65 3 years ago

    Meh - who cares? The Tony Hawks series has lost any impact it once had. The series has been milked to death.

  • Beano #66 3 years ago

    @mcmonkeyplc : I'm a PS3 owner (and 360+Wii owner) and don't give a shit :)

  • miiiguel #67 3 years ago

    @ Damn: I guess you can be right, though, if you ever come to Portgual you'd probably understand me a bit better - you simply can't find many games for the 360 - well, tbh, the only ones one knows he can find are the ones which are published by MS. And yes, I do find it "fishy".

    Not to mention Portuguese press...
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 13:14

  • jozz #68 3 years ago

    @DrDamn "Sony have avoided bought in exclusives this gen."

    What about UT3, Mirror's Edge dlc or the new Batman Joker character?

    It's a pretty bizarre 'exclusive' to have for only one country. Especially since the new peripheral games like this one and DJ Hero aren't going to sell to the casual audience or the hardcore I don't think. It either has to be a guitar or on the Wii.

  • sneetch #69 3 years ago

    The game was revealed late last week for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, but Microsoft has seemingly grabbed the highly-anticipated title for itself in the region.

    "Further to Monday's announcement regarding Tony Hawk: RIDE, Activision UK is pleased to announce that this title will be launched later this year in the UK, as an Xbox 360 platform exclusive," said the company.

    They're "pleased to announce" this? I love how they always seem so happy when they do this sort of thing, "we're pleased to announce that we've basically fucked over a significant portion of our user base because one of the console manufacturers gave us a big wad of cash. Fuck the Wii and PS3 owners! MS paid us more than they would have."

    Buying exclusivity, thus removing a game or DLC from another platform (for however long) is not a good thing it should not be celebrated as such. They always present this as a "win" for their platform, "it was gonna come out on PS3/360 (delete as applicable) but now it's only on our console, yay!" Why is that a good thing?

    If they can be arsed then PS3 and Wii owners will be able to buy it from France or somewhere else on mainland Europe (I'm not sure how they slice up the languages on PS3 but Nintendo's European games tend to have the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish languages available in the same version) so it's at most an inconvenience for owners of those consoles that want the game.

  • mcmonkeyplc #70 3 years ago

    Yeah as an owner of both, I dont give a shit. :)

  • Cappy #71 3 years ago

    This is going to be pitched as the Christmas game for the 360 in the UK I guess. Perhaps it won't be totally rubbish then, they wouldn't bother with exclusivity if they hadn't seen it and decided it was worthwhile.

    I'll hold out hope for end of year US/EU PS3 releases of Demon's Souls and Tales of Vesperia myself, that should dull the bitter, stinging pain a little.

  • skillian #72 3 years ago

    Eurogamer. Make sure you do one thing the next time you interview the relevant people at MS.

    ASK THEM HOW THEY JUSTIFY DOING THIS? GRILL THEM ON IT!

    LOL. This will never happen.

  • bad09 #73 3 years ago

    Ah more stupid tactics, I couldn't care less about Hawks games and own both platforms anyway but this "that country/region gets it and not you" bull needs to stop, make an exclusive deal across you regions otherwise get lost.

    / is happy in his decision to give no more new money to the industry

  • skillian #74 3 years ago

    Remeber when games companies used to spend money trying to make their product better? Now they spend that money on trying to make the competition worse instead.

    It's tragic really, but that's big business for you.
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 13:53

  • naffers #75 3 years ago

    are microsoft stupid. seeing as the ps3 can play games from any region... congrats you just blew a load of money for exclusivity on a shit looking game

  • fjharps #76 3 years ago

    It's been confirmed that it will not be 360 exclusive on other sites so don't need to worry anymore about it anymore

  • Dunk_13 #77 3 years ago

    @jozz
    sony do not pay for exclusives, doesnt mean they dont get them

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #78 3 years ago

    Here we go. The fucking dick heads have arrived.

    You know, the ones that think Sony fart perfume and shit rose petals.

  • Waldo #79 3 years ago

    Most Europeans are too fat and would break the board anyways.

  • DoctorZoidberg #80 3 years ago

    Has anyone other than me thought of the bigger picture here?

    Getting exclusivity on an this game, will strengthen the relationship between Microsoft and Activision. Regardless of how good / bad the game is..(not that you can judge this yet anyway, unless you've played it? have you?)

    Anyway, Maybe Micro have one eye on the future. Prove to Acti that they can sell well on one console, and perhaps they have a change of getting an exclusivity deal on COD, timed or other wise.

    Sometimes you have to buy the crap to get on the good side of the crapper, for future gold.

    Just a thought.

    Edit, below Coin-Op and his very biased views again, it's about time i clicked your ignore button....
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 15:16

  • mrfight67 #81 3 years ago

    Importing for my PS3, not getting reeled in to buy an 360 because of exclusivity.

  • Zaltan #82 3 years ago

    No one was going to buy it anyway...

  • TFM_Excalibur #83 3 years ago

    If microsoft made reliable consoles to play it on, i might actually be envious, but untill then they can go and fuck off

  • malteaserhead #84 3 years ago

    New press release says it isn't exclusive to 360 and will be appearing on ps3 (no mention if they enjoy the same release date though). Untwist those panties ;)
    Edited by 1 at 20/05/09 @ 15:45

  • woodyrulesok #85 3 years ago

    Why is Farticus such a massive cunt?