Tony Hawk on Game Pass is delayed due to licensing issues

The console giant tried to act secretly at the start of the day, removing the skate collection from the July 21 release list without hinting any satisfaction to subscribers. This initial lack of transparency was a very amateur stance, causing a flood of rumors about a supposed permanent cancellation to flood the internet forums, leaving the community justifiably upset. Luckily for those eager to execute classic tricks to a memorable soundtrack, the Xbox team decided to clear up the confusion and assure everyone, promising that the sports title would still make its debut on the subscription platform once the necessary paperwork is properly signed.

The setback causing this last-minute delay involves the complex web of intellectual property rights surrounding the franchise. A spokesperson from publisher Activision publicly explained that the internal team is still working to secure all necessary approvals from brands and licensing personalities who give Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 its visual and auditory identity. Sports games that rely on clothing brands, skateboard deck brands, and especially a licensed soundtrack filled with famous bands always struggle with this contract-related headache.

"We are continuously working on obtaining the necessary approvals from licensors for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. We will share an update as soon as we have news," stated the developer's team.

This kind of legal hiccup related to image and sound contracts is not new in the industry, and historically, other productions that have suffered similarly ended up launching on the service after resolving the bureaucratic knots behind the scenes. The good news for those eager to revisit the virtual asphalt immediately is that the successor collection, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, continues to run fully stable and is available for subscribers in the Xbox Game Pass catalog.

For now, the most beloved street skate game of the nineties still doesn't have a new date set for its service debut, but Microsoft promises that a new launch day will be scheduled and officially announced the moment the lawyers stamp the final approval of the licensing. This official assurance brings a welcome relief to players, proving that the plan to bring back the classic remains intact, with the only thing left being to wait for the legal procedures to conclude without further complications.