There was a time when it appeared the remake of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 might forgo one of the most iconic aspects of the original games: Career Mode.
When the game was revealed, all we got were trailers and bold details about levels, tricks, and next-gen visuals, with no actual mention of it. However, it didn't take long for players to notice something was missing. No one even brought up the Career Mode from THPS4, which removed time limits for a more open, challenge-based approach.
Out of the blue, the official Tony Hawk account tweeted, "Who said there's no career?" with a hint of smugness. Career Mode made its way into the game, but it's different from what long-time THPS4 fans are used to.
According to Activision and several official sources, THPS3 + 4 will include a career structure across all maps, but it won't be the exact free-roam format from the original Pro Skater 4. The new version introduces a unified two-minute goal system, similar to the earlier THPS games.
Even on the THPS4 maps, you'll be grinding, comboing, and ticking off challenges, but all within timed sessions. That change has sparked some mixed reactions. For many, just knowing there was a career at all was enough to restore faith in the project.
Plenty of fans were vocal about skipping the game entirely if Career Mode didn't make it in, while others saw the two-minute runs as a nostalgic return to form. Some players are holding out hope that the open-world structure could make its way into the game after launch, possibly through the new HAWK Mode mentioned on the official website.
It's obvious the devs were listening, and the community's feedback has influenced them to either pivot or at least clear up the confusion following the rollout. There's a bit of wink-wink energy to how it was revealed—one user even joked that they "cobbled together a career mode" in a month after seeing the backlash.
Career Mode is back, whether it's a last-minute fix or a clever marketing move, and that's all it takes to win over fans again. If you've been looking for a reason to revisit your favorite THPS4 maps, this might be it.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Gaming News and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater page.