Tony Hawk Once Modded His Friend’s PS1 to Get Early THPS Feedback

Tony Hawk once modded his friend’s PlayStation 1 in order to get feedback on early builds of the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. This is according to the Birdman himself, who told the story during a panel at iicon (a new conference for video game industry professionals) about the lasting legacy of the THPS series.

Back in 1998, Hawk was working with Neversoft on early versions of the soon-to-be legendary skateboarding game, which at the time was borne out of a modified version of the failed Bruce Willis-branded game Apocalypse.

“Every week they would burn a CD for me, and I played it on my modified PlayStation 1,” Hawk said. “I would make comments, and then the next week I get a disc in the mail with all the updates.”

“I was really excited about it, but I was also kind of isolated in my excitement because I was the only real skater working on it, and so – I hope I don’t get in trouble for this, 20 plus years later – but I started making copies of the burns and sending them to skaters that I knew were hardcore gamers.”

Hawk said at one point he modified his friend Atiba’s PS1 – presumably referring to skater and photographer Atiba Jefferson, who later appeared in THPS 4 – to be able to play the burned game discs in order to give him feedback.

“He really did have valuable feedback, and he started letting people come over to play the game. I mean, we were going rogue,” Hawk said.

But at one point, Hawk started hearing rumors within the hardcore skate community, with comments like “have you guys played ‘the game?'” starting to circulate.

“That's when I knew we did something right, and that the skateboarders were going to enjoy this," Hawk said. “And to me, that was the mark of success. I had no idea that it would ever transcend just the skateboard world, but the fact that they just referred to it as ‘the game’ gave me a sense of pride.”

"The fact that they just referred to it as ‘the game’ gave me a sense of pride.”

Elsewhere in the panel, Hawk commented that, if they get to make another one, Tony Hawk’s Underground is the next game he’d like to see remastered.

“What’s next, that’s always the conversation. Because we are now making our way through the series as remasters and remakes, and to be honest, the most noise that I hear about remastering the game, is for Underground, and has been for the last few years. I don’t know who I’m pitching this to, but that’s the one, if we get to do it.”

However, the developerment team behind the recent THPS 3+4 remaster, Iron Galaxy, faced another round of layoffs earlier this month which follows a significant round of layoffs from 2025.

For more from iicon, check out our writeup of Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick’s comments about the much-debated price point of GTA 6.

Bo Moore is IGN's Senior Manager of Tech. You can find him online @usebomswisely.

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Undisputed Developer Ends Support to Focus on Sequel; Adds Talent from Rockstar and EA Sports

Steel City Interactive, the team behind Undisputed, has announced that it will be ceasing support for the boxing game ahead of a sequel.

Undisputed was released back in 2024 after spending nearly two years in early access. It was the first licensed boxing game since EA’s Fight Night, and was an earnest attempt to make something from next to nothing. The team was eventually able to attract real boxers and major boxing organizations to help make the game more authentic.

Undisputed received mixed reviews from critics, including IGN (we gave it a 6), but many see the potential in Steel City’s vision. As a result, the studio has announced via a YouTube video that it will be ending post-launch support for Undisputed to focus its efforts on a sequel. Not much has been revealed about the sequel, but Steel City’s CEO, Ash Habib, stated the developer has recruited renowned talent from Rockstar Games, 2K, and EA Sports.

Ultimately, the decision to end support for the first game came down to the fact that the foundations for the original game were rocky, and difficult to build upon. To resolve this, Undisputed’s sequel will be built on a new engine with world-class AAA talent. The studio has a deal in place with Muhammad Ali’s team and has extended it until 2037 as a show of commitment to continuing with the Undisputed brand. A release window and further details are being kept under wraps for the time being, but more details will be shared in the future.

EA’s Fight Night franchise went defunct back in 2011 with the release of Fight Night Champion, and although there were rumblings that EA might bring the series back, it never happened. Instead, EA has invested in UFC, which has become a more dominant combat sport. UFC 6 is scheduled to release on June 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PS5, ensuring combat sport fans will still have something to enjoy while waiting for Undisputed 2.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

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GreedFall Developer Is Shutting Down

GreedFall developer Spiders has confirmed that it is shutting down and will cease operations immediately. The gaming industry has been experiencing a lot of woes in recent years, with numerous studios being shut down or losing large amounts of talent due to layoffs. The reasons for this vary case by case, but most of the major gaming giants have been impacted on some level. Unfortunately, even some of the smaller studios are also being hit.

Spiders is a French video game developer that has been around since 2008. The studio was able to find its niche in helping port titles to Xbox 360, but eventually began making its own original titles in the 2010s. The team is best known for its work on the RPG series GreedFall and operated in the “AA” space, a term often used for mid-budget titles. GreedFall found success and sold over 2 million copies in its first three years, prompting Spiders to develop a sequel, which entered early access in 2024 and saw a full release last month.

Just weeks prior to the game’s release, Spiders’ parent company, Nacon, filed for insolvency and attempted to sell Spiders to a different company. Unfortunately, a buyer couldn’t be found, and as a result, Spiders will shut its doors for good immediately. The company took to its X page to announce its closure and provide an update on what will happen with GreedFall: The Dying World's DLC.

“After a long period without clear answers, we have received confirmation that Spiders is being liquidated,” reads the statement. “What does it mean? This means the company as a whole no longer exists. We'll cease our functions immediately. The planned DLC will release via Nacon, and then-- well, that's it. We're sorry that it's come to this and would like to thank each and every one of you for your support over the years. If you have any questions or run into issues with your games, please contact Nacon directly as we'll no longer be able to reply.”

It’s unclear if any of Spiders’ IP or assets will be sold off or used by Nacon in other ways. It seems relatively unlikely, given Spiders doesn’t own any other major or notable franchises, and GreedFall: The Dying World was also met with a mixed reception from fans and critics.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

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The Blood of Dawnwalker Has a Release Date and a New Story Trailer

The Blood of Dawnwalker has finally set its release date: September 3, 2026. That’s across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.

The single-player, open world vampire role-playing game is from Rebel Wolves, which was founded by former developers of The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk at CD Projekt. Rebel Wolves describes The Blood of Dawnwalker as “the first chapter” in a “brand new role-playing saga.” It's set in 14th-century Europe, with a dark fantasy tone.

The early September release date is comfortably ahead of GTA 6’s November launch, so it should have plenty of headroom to make an impression.

Alongside the release date announcement, we also have a new story trailer. Here's the official blurb:

The new story trailer introduces a cast of characters that Coen will encounter on his journey – some will become allies, others enemies, but all of them play a crucial role in the game’s story. Rebel Wolves also showcased never-before-seen locations across Vale Sangora, a mysterious region in the Carpathian Mountains, and offered deeper insight into the creative process behind bringing the game’s open world to life.

The developers also showcased over 10 minutes of footage captured on the most recent PC build, focusing on narrative-driven open-world activities. Meanwhile, former UFC champion Jan Błachowicz contributed to motion capture performances for one of the game’s antagonists, Bakir, a vampire from Brencis' clique.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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Arc Raiders Riven Tides Trailer Reveals Massive Beach-Themed Update With New Seaside Map and Turbine Enemy

Embark Studios has revealed a first look at the new Riven Tides map, the Arc Turbine enemy, and everything else included in what looks like the biggest Arc Raiders update yet.

The studio behind the popular sci-fi extraction shooter published details about the new seaside content with a post on its website today. It's a breakdown for the Riven Tides update aimed to show players that the months-long wait for the new map will have been worth it when Raiders head topside to try it all out tomorrow, April 28.

The April Arc Raiders update's pièce de resistance is no doubt the new location it pulls its name from: Riven Tides. As fans have guessed for months, this new map, the second post-launch location Embark has added since its October 2025 launch, takes Raiders to sandy shores populated with shady palm trees. The first trailer for the update (below) also highlighted the dusty water slides and abandoned dining spaces of the Hotel Panorama Azzurro, as well as its accompanying beach, tennis courts, and harbor.

While the footage also took the time to show the return of Arc enemies like the Vaporizer, Hornet drones, and even the Shredder, veteran Arc Raiders fans will also notice an unfamiliar Arc enemy hovering in some shots. This cone-shaped being is called the Arc Turbine and already visually marks quite a departure for Embark. Where previous new enemy types have often appeared as small-to-medium-sized drones or ball-shaped guards, players will need to watch for this much larger foe to use defensive measures from the sky.

It's unclear if the Turbine will only appear in Riven Tides or if Embark has plans to bring it to other Arc Raiders maps. What is confirmed to be exclusive to the new location, though, is the new Beachbombing minor map condition. During these windows, Raiders will have the opportunity to scavenge for loot along the coast by using something called the Dockmaster's Detector.

The developers also revealed that the new Last Resort event will allow players to earn rewards by gaining XP and collecting model ships from April 28 to May 25. The latest Project, meanwhile, is called the Avian Alarm Project, and comes with potential rewards that include 250 Raider Tokens and a Bird House backpack attachment.

As previously announced, the next Expedition Window opens April 28 and has been reworked to ask players to deal damage for bonus skill points instead of earning them through stash value. It was a once-controversial change that was quickly reworked, now allowing fans to sign up and participate in the prestige program until a May 11 deadline.

Arc Raiders Riven Tides launches as a free update across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S tomorrow. As a bonus for those on PS5 Pro, it was also announced to come with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, adding what Embark described as improved visuals that make "environments appear cleaner and more stable, with better reconstruction of fine details."

For more on Arc Raiders, you can read our 9/10 review. You can also check out our all-encompassing interview with Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund from earlier this year.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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Pokémon Champions Producer Acknowledges Visual 'Limitations' Amid Ongoing Fan Scrutiny of Series' Graphics

The Pokémon Company technical director Masaaki Hoshino has acknowledged continued fan scrutiny of the series' visuals, seen most recently in criticism for Pokémon Champions.

Hoshino is a veteran of the Pokémon series, who worked on Pokémon Yellow before a long stint at Japanese fighting game developer Bandai Namco. This then led to him returning to work on Pokémon as producer on its more traditional fighting game spinoff Pokkén Tournament, developed by Bandai Namco, before its MOBA spinoff Pokémon Unite, and finally Champions itself.

Champions launched earlier this month to a wave of feedback that expressed disappointment for the game's relatively basic feature set and small Pokédex roster. And, yet again, there was criticism of the game's visuals — as there has been for various mainline Pokémon game entries over the past decade.

"Yes, as a Pokémon fan, I naturally understand the various discussions currently taking place within the fan community," Hoshino said when asked specifically about scrutiny of Pokémon game graphics, talking to Eurogamer Germany. "I can totally relate to all of it.

"Regarding the graphics and gameplay, we've truly tried to do our best in both areas," he continued. "The battle system is a huge focus. And what we're really concentrating on is ensuring fairness — since it's such a competitive battle game — and that the traditional game system works, and that we have that firmly under control.

"But as far as the visual side, the graphics, is concerned, I have experience from working on Pokkén Tournament, and one of my goals for that game was actually to make the Pokémon game with the best graphics at the time. And I think we did a good job with that back then. But only two Pokémon were ever visible on screen at the same time. With Pokémon Champions, we have more limitations."

Fans have pointed to various bugs and oddities seen in some Pokémon models, many of which can be ironed out over time, but also to a relatively simplistic look for the game overall — particularly on Nintendo Switch 2, where Champions still runs at 30fps and there are no major improvements to textures.

Still, Hoshino defended Champions by saying he was pleased by the fact that "all the Pokémon have their own shadows," which was something he prioritized in development, and the game's battle effects, which were developed from scratch for the game. "I was very thorough in reviewing them and personally went through every single one," Hoshino said. "Phew, that was a lot of moves."

Fans have suggested that Champions retains a relatively simplistic look, even on Switch 2, as the game was designed to work cross-platform on mobile. This was not a point that was put to Hoshino for him to address, however. (Pokémon Champions' smartphone versions are currently set to launch later this year.)

Of course, the debate around visuals may shift again in 2027, when Pokémon finally ditches the aged Switch 1 console era for good. Fans have already gained their first glimpse at the ambitious-looking Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, the franchise's long-awaited 10th generation mainline games, which will launch exclusively for Switch 2 at some point next year.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Blast Blade Brings a New Dimension to Platform Fighters

Blast Blade from Silent Bark games is a 3D platform fighter that puts you behind the wits and weapons of warriors and magic users. You and up to four contenders face off in one of many dynamic arenas, but unlike traditional fighting games, there are no hit point bars for you to chip away at. The only way to win is to build up your opponents’ damage percentage until they’re vulnerable enough to be blasted out of the ring and over the horizon by a powerful attack.

Blast Blade's mechanics are simple and easy to grasp. There’s no need to memorize complex character moves that require on-the-dime execution. You can move freely on the land and in the air, which lets you dodge your foes' hard-hitting attacks while taking advantage of openings to get your own hits. As you pummel your opponents, you build up an Ultimate gauge. Once it’s full, you can unleash a massive attack that sends them flying. One strategic hit is all it can take to turn the tables when you’re inches from defeat. Blast Blade will feel familiar for fans of 2D platform fighters, but its unique 3D mechanics add another layer to the experience.

The fantasy-themed roster of fighters livens up fights with close-range combat and long-range attacks. The long-eared thief Nino can run circles around opponents before going in for the kill by launching himself like a little missile wrapped in kinetic energy. Glaciel, a wise and mysterious mage, hurls shards of ice from a distance. Meanwhile, the bulked-up Maddox prefers to let his enemies come at him head on, letting him grab and grapple with foes before they can even try to topple him. Whichever style you favor, you’ll find a fighter that fits what you're looking for.

And as you play, you learn more about these characters and what each of them are fighting for. The world is being torn apart by Azel, a twisted human who resents that his people don’t have the strength or longevity of the other two races, Elves and Sentients. He wants to tear everything down and build it back up in humanity's favor using the powerful Origin Crystal. It’s up to you and Blast Blade’s colorful group of warriors to stand up to him.

Story Mode provides single-player gameplay, but there are also head-to-head options through online and local multiplayer. Online battles are for up to four people, and there are lots of options to tweak your local play however you want. Create 1v1 duels, 2v2 team battles, or four-player free-for-alls. If you feel like fighting alone, spar against AI opponents to sharpen your skills.

Interested in trying Blast Blade’s 3D twist on platform fighting games for yourself? You can try out the free demo this June to acquaint yourself with its world and characters before the official launch in March 2027. Also, don’t forget to follow Blast Blade’s official X/Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Stop by the Discord to chat with fans and keep up with the latest news.

You can wishlist Blast Blade on Steam now, and keep an eye out for its Steam Early Access release in September.

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