Neversoft is nevermore.
The famed developer that most people would probably remember for the iconic Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series is going to be fused permanently with developer Infinity Ward, and the new studio will hold the Infinity Ward name.
The announcement comes via a leaked memo obtained by Giant Bomb from Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg. The memo states the following:
"As you know, Neversoft and Infinity Ward teamed up for the development of Call of Duty: Ghosts," Hirshberg said. "And through that process, it became clear that the two studios have very complementary skill sets. Between these two excellent studios, it seemed like a single 'super-studio' could emerge."
Unfortunately, the creation of the super studio means that the Neversoft name will be dropped for good.
"The impact of their 20-year run of hard work and success cannot be overstated," Hirshberg continued. "As already mentioned, we are merging these two very talented teams and obviously had to choose a name for the combined studio. Since the Infinity Ward brand is indelibly tied to the Call of Duty franchise, it is the sensible choice. While it will be strange to not see the Neversoft logo on future games, the important things - which are the Neversoft team's talent, creativity, professionalism and commitment to creative excellence - all remain unchanged as part of this new chapter."
As someone who grew up on Tony Hawk games made by Neversoft, this is pretty sad. I would encourage all '90s kids out there to go buy a bottle of champagne and pour some out for Neversoft. Also, here's my top five favorite Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games, in order:
1. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
2. Tony Hawk's Underground
3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
5. Tony Hawk's Underground 2
What are your favorite Tony Hawk games? Or do you have another favorite from Neversoft that you'd like eulogize? Let's all commiserate in the comments.
