It was the fastest-selling game in the entire history of the franchise. One million copies in just two weeks. When Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 dropped in 2020, it felt like a miracle. The physics were crisp, the Warehouse looked gorgeous, and the nostalgia hit like a well-timed special move. Naturally, every fan on the planet assumed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 would be the logical next step.
But then, the world went quiet. For years, gamers were left wondering why Activision would leave money on the table.
Honestly, the story behind why we didn't get that follow-up immediately is kind of a heartbreaker. It wasn't about bad sales or lack of interest. It was corporate reshuffling at its most frustrating.
🔗 Read more: Why ROM Pokemon Ash Gray is the only way to play the 90s anime
The Vicarious Visions Disaster
The developers who nailed the 1 + 2 remake, Vicarious Visions, were absolute wizards. They understood the "feel" of Neversoft’s original engine better than anyone else who had tried in the last decade. They actually had a plan for the next bundle. Tony Hawk himself eventually spilled the beans on a Twitch stream with AndyTHPS, confirming that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 was the goal from the start.
They were even working on it.
The trouble started when Activision decided to merge Vicarious Visions into Blizzard. They were rebranded as Blizzard Albany and basically tasked with being a support studio for Diablo IV. It was like taking a star quarterback and telling them they’re now responsible for maintaining the grass on the practice field.
Activision reportedly looked at other pitches from different studios to take over the project. The problem? They didn't trust anyone else. Every pitch they heard apparently lacked the magic that Vicarious brought to the table. So, they just shelved it. They put one of their most successful revivals on ice because they couldn't find a "perfect" replacement.
What the 2025 Release Changed
Fast forward to the actual release we saw in July 2025. After Microsoft finished its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the corporate winds shifted. Iron Galaxy—the studio known for their incredible porting work and Killer Instinct—was eventually handed the keys to the kingdom.
But this wasn't just a carbon copy of the first remake.
The 2025 version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 brought some massive changes that polarized the community. The biggest point of contention? The "timed" format. In the original THPS 4, Neversoft had moved away from the two-minute timer, opting for an open-world feel where you talked to NPCs to start goals.
Iron Galaxy went a different route. To keep the flow consistent with the 1 + 2 remake, they forced the two-minute timer back onto the THPS 4 levels.
Some people hated it. They felt it "gutted" the soul of the fourth game. Others, like the folks at PC Gamer, argued it turned the game into a more focused scavenger hunt. It made the massive levels like Alcatraz and the College campus feel like dense puzzles rather than empty sandboxes.
The Bam Margera Controversy and the "New" Content
You can't talk about this game without mentioning the roster. For a long time, it looked like Bam Margera—a staple of the early 2000s era—was going to be totally absent due to his personal struggles and legal history with the brand.
It took a personal intervention from Tony Hawk in May 2025 to get Bam back into the game as a secret, unlockable skater. It felt like a win for authenticity. They also leaned heavily into "guest" skaters, including the Doom Slayer and even Michelangelo from the Ninja Turtles.
Why the Soundtrack Felt Different
Music is 50% of the vibe in these games. If the song doesn't make you want to skate through a window, it’s the wrong song.
The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 soundtrack was a weird mix. While they kept the heavy hitters like CKY's "96 Quite Bitter Beings," a lot of the original THPS 3 licenses had expired or were too expensive to get back. Tony admitted later that the final tracklist was a "modernized" interpretation.
👉 See also: RDR2 Camp Upgrades List: Why You Should Probably Stop Hoarding Your Cash
Basically, they traded some of the punk roots for newer indie and hip-hop tracks. If you were looking for a 1:1 replica of your 2002 CD collection, you probably ended up muting the in-game music and running a Spotify playlist in the background.
Is It Actually Better Than 1 + 2?
That’s the million-dollar question. Technically, the 3 + 4 remake is a more complex beast. The levels in these games are significantly larger than the PS1-era parks. Iron Galaxy added a "Waterpark" level that wasn't in the originals, and it’s arguably one of the best maps in the entire series now.
However, the "feel" is slightly different. Some hardcore players have complained about the camera physics and the way the skater resets after a bail. It’s a bit more "floaty" than what Vicarious Visions built.
But let’s be real. Having a functional, 4K version of the Foundry or the Los Angeles level is something we didn't think we’d ever see.
Actionable Insights for Players
If you're just picking this up or thinking about diving back in, here is how to handle the "controversial" bits:
- Ignore the Timer on First Runs: Don't stress about the 2-minute clock in the THPS 4 sections. Treat your first few sessions as pure exploration to find the Stat Points. The goals are much easier once your speed and jump are maxed out.
- Custom Soundtracks are Your Friend: Since the licensed music is a bit hit-or-miss compared to the originals, use the in-game "Playlist" feature to deselect the tracks that grate on your nerves. It saves the experience.
- Check the Secret Skaters: Don't just finish the career mode. The best content—like the Pinball level and the heritage skaters—is buried behind the "Hard" gap challenges and secret collectible ribbons.
- Use the Revert: Remember that THPS 3 was the game that introduced the Revert. If you're coming from the very old-school 1 and 2, you must master the Revert to keep your combos going into manual transitions.
The road to getting Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 was messy, corporate, and full of delays. It isn't a perfect 10/10 like the first remake, but it’s a vital piece of gaming history that finally got the HD treatment it deserved. It’s the end of an era, and honestly, we’re lucky it exists at all.
To get the most out of your career, start by focusing on the Pro Goals in the THPS 3 Foundry level; it’s the fastest way to earn the currency needed to unlock the better board decks and equipment for the later, more difficult THPS 4 stages.