Activision's Hirshberg Expresses Confidence In Tony Hawk Brand

Despite slow early sales for October's Tony Hawk Shred, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said he remains confident in the power of the Tony Hawk brand to sell the long-running game franchise. "Tony Hawk does really still have relevance and tremendous appeal for people," Hirshberg said in an interview with IndustryGamers. "He is a lasting icon. He has that Michael Jordan-ish or Jordan-esque staying power, seemingly." Hirshberg defended slow sales of only 3,000 units for Shred during the NPD's October reporting period by pointing out that the number only represents two days of sales for the title. But despite his faith in the brand's star power, Hirshberg did acknowledge that the company was focused on asking how to "recapture the mass imagination surrounding this franchise" going forward. Hirshberg's statement of support comes just a week after EA head John Riccitiello said he thought skateboarding had "run its course" as the representative of the still-healthy action sports game genre. And last month, Hirshberg told Gamasutra he hoped sales for Shred would improve as the holiday season continues. "For the first time we're targeting that game to kids," he said. "It's a gift-oriented game, but, that said, we need to build awareness for the game still."