Tony Hawk Talks Bam Margera Joining Pro Skater 3 + 4: “I Could Tell That He Was in a Really Good Place”

Tony Hawk has revealed more details on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, dropping next week with new skaters and familiar faces.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is officially rolling out on July 11, marking the first release in the beloved skateboarding series since Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 were re-released in 2020. Nearly 25 years after the original games debuted, this re-release promises to bring back everything fans loved about the classics while adding a new generation of skating talent.

In an exclusive interview with ESports Insider, Tony Hawk himself shared his excitement for the upcoming release. “I’m super excited,” Hawk said. “It’s been a long time in the making, and I can’t wait for people to get it in their hands, because I feel like they’re going to be extremely surprised. If they love the original series, they’re going to love this one.”

The updated game will feature 21 skaters from the original titles, alongside new additions like Jamie Foy, Yuto Horigome, Nora Vasconcellos, Zion Wright, Chloe Covell, Rayssa Leal, Margielyn Didal and Aurelien Giraud.

One of the most surprising updates to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 comes with the last-minute addition of Bam Margera. “Bam is iconic and has been a huge part of the series,” Hawk said. “I just happened to skate with him not long ago, and I could tell that he was in a really good place. I could tell he was back to skating, and it just felt like he was highly motivated to make positive changes in his life.”

“(We had) to scramble and get him scanned and put him in. And it wasn’t just me. It was thanks to a team of people. They managed to get it in time. That was a big fire drill and I was really thankful that it worked out.”

Outside of adding new skaters and bringing Bam Margera back as a secret character, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will also feature fresh tracks on the soundtrack. Hawk said he wanted to include new songs alongside original ones to better connect with today’s generation of players.

“I feel like we don’t want to just repeat the original soundtracks,” Hawk explained. “The idea is that you might find new music thanks to these soundtracks, or you found a style of music you loved. I wanted to bring that into more of the new generation.”

The new soundtrack includes around 60 songs, and Hawk highlighted Idles and Gang of Four as the standout additions he’s most excited about.

“I would say my biggest additions, personally, were Gang of Four and Idles,” said Hawk. “I feel like they’re right in line with the type of music that you’d expect from our games. Gang of Four is more classic, but we haven’t had Gang of Four yet, or we had it once, so I feel like that represents my taste in music.

“I was just thankful that the bands agreed to it, honestly, because licensing bands, especially the streaming rights now, is pretty tricky.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 aims to blend nostalgia with new energy, offering a fresh yet familiar experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Keep your eyes peeled for its launch on July 11.