Activision's second Tony Hawk game to make use of the new skateboard peripheral sold a mere 3,000 units at the end of October when it launched. Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, has already said he's still expecting a bigger sales ramp-up for the game this holiday season, and he recently spoke with IndustryGamers about the declining franchise, once a staple of Activision's business, and if Tony Hawk holds the same relevance in the marketplace today.
Hirshberg acknowledged that we're "asking all the right questions" when it comes to Tony Hawk and how it plays into Activision's business strategy, but he also stressed that the sales for Shred were just for 2 days within NPD's reporting period. He fully believes in the potential of Tony Hawk and the star power his brand, he believes, still commands.
"I think it’s early to close the book on Tony Hawk Shred, because we are marketing it to kids, and it is a great gift, and the gift-giving season has already begun. We’re going to keep the pedal to the metal on that and continue to market through the holiday and hopefully we’ll deliver some proponents," he told us. "That said, just as a category, I think your evaluation is correct. The interesting thing is that I think the last game had some technical problems with the board, and lots of times when you innovate that happens. This game and the relationship between the game and the board is spectacular. It’s a whole different level from Tony Hawk: Ride. That might change things too. But at the same time, I think that you’re basically asking the same questions that I’m asking and that we’re asking about how to recapture the mass imagination surrounding this franchise."
Hirshberg continued, "The one question that I can answer, and remarkably so, is that Tony Hawk does really still have relevance and tremendous appeal for people. He is a lasting icon. He has that Michael Jordan-ish or Jordan-esque staying power, seemingly. And that doesn’t mean that other great skaters haven’t come up who are younger and more current, but he really is that kind of Mount Rushmore-level guy in that category, so that’s not the issue. I think we have to ask all the smart questions and make some smart moves in terms of innovation to see if we can recapture people’s imaginations."
We'll be bringing you much more from our full interview with Hirshberg in the near future. Stay tuned.
