With Skate 3 Added To Xbox Backplay, Is It Time For A Sequel?

Microsoft has celebrated the anniversary of the backward compatibility feature for its Xbox One consoles by adding a fan favorite to the list of available games. Anyone who owns a physical or digital copy of Skate 3 by EA Black Box can now play the classic 360 game on their Xbox One or Xbox One S console. Check the ‘games’ screen of your console for more information on this and other available backplay titles.

When backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games was announced at the E3 segment, there was an instant demand for Skate 3 to be among the available titles. The third installment of this cult EA skateboarding series instantly became the most popular yet upon its release in 2010, plus the game had something of a revival in 2014 after YouTube boosted its popularity. It rose to become one of the most demanded titles in fan forums for the backplay feature, and is a very welcome addition to the growing catalog of compatible 360 games.

Grab a copy if you missed it the first time

Backplay is available to any Xbox One owner - if you didn’t own a 360 game originally, you can still pick them up for just a few dollars in second hand gaming stores or online. Research Team at Frugaa (a leading coupon provider in the USA) saw a sudden surge in searches for deals on Skate 3 games right after the update was announced, and the game also became a featured product on Amazon’s front page for a short time, because of the boom in demand.

Not only is the game included in the list of compatible titles, but you can get to all the DLC extras as well! From extra tracks and courses to fun merchandise and additional tasks, many of the add-ons have been free to Xbox 360 users for some time and can be added directly from the menu when you load up the game. Some versions of the game include all of the extra features within the disk - these can be ordered online or found in most gaming stores.

What is Skate 3 and why should I get it?

Skate 3 is like many other EA sports games in that it will appeal to skaters and gamers alike. It combines the real world physics of skateboarding with the bright colors and crazy tricks you want from a video game. The whole landscape can be skated and the game is entirely open, with missions and goals to achieve or a simple freeskate mode. Players can also take on others in one-on-one online skate battles, or work together in teams to defeat opponents. The game features pro skaters from the real world, and combines a fictitious city with actual brands, events, locations and competitions.

In addition to the skating itself, an in-built video editor allows players to take photos and create clips during play, which can be edited and uploaded to the community boards. Unfortunately, this community area is one part of the game that has succumbed to time: EA have turned off the main servers and many online features are no longer available to play around with. That said, the online world is still a whole lot of fun, and thanks to a revived interest from Xbox One players there are always plenty of opponents to take on and skate with! Set up a team lobby or stay offline and freeskate privately: you can take on the environment in your own way.

Demand for a sequel keeps growing

EA are probably better known for their bigger sports titles, such as FIFA, Madden and NBA. Skating is a niche sport in itself and while Skate 3 has a strong cult following, the series has only achieved modest sales. This might be why they have so far declined to make a fourth game. However, fans feel that Skate 3 was the best game in the series, and that an updated game for the current generation of consoles would be well worth investing in. The company has also stated that the market for skateboarding games has declined - though fans argue this is due to a lack of games, not a lack of interest in them.

The web has been filled with rumors of a Skate 4 release for several years now, and this release of the backward compatible third installment has added fuel to the fire. Fans are taking to social media to push for a new title, and encouraging new players to buy the game and show some support for the cause. Will this renewed interest be enough to convince EA that a sequel is worth making? Watch this space for news as we hear it.