If ever there was a game meant to be watched in slow motion, Skate was it. In fact, actually playing Skate has always felt like half of the experience; everyone gets something out of Skate from the replays, whether they own the game or not.

We know what our favorite Skate replays are--and there are many, many of them--but what are EA's? Well, in celebration of 1.6 million Skate.Reel uploads, the team has uploaded their own video that showcases its top ten favorite Skate replays. It includes some obvious classics, but also a few you may not have caught before.

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Skateboarding's prestigious Maloof Money Cup competition is set to arrive in Skate 2 as downloadable content shortly before the real event kicks off in July, EA has announced.

The Maloof Money Pack recreates the contest's park with freeskate, vert and street contests for singleplayer skaters, and online play receiving new competitive activities and challenges. The Xbox 360 version also picks up another 250 achievement points.

The DLC arrives July 9 in the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store for a mere $3 (240 Microsoft Points), just in time for the real Maloof Money Cup which runs July 10-12.

A new patch for EA Black Box's Skate 2 was today released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, updating the extreme open-world game with several tweaks and fixes.

Changes include the addition of PlayStation 3 custom soundtracks, better off-board controls, a more streamlined approach towards retrying a challenge, and the resolution of several bugs. Players will be prompted for the update when... Read more

Electronic Arts sends word that a new "San Van Classics" Skate 2 DLC pack is now available for purchase. The pack will feature "classic" spots from the original Skate.

The pack will run 400 Microsoft Points, or $4.99 on the PlayStation Network. Check out a trailer of the new-old content below.

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A new bit of downloadable content for Skate 2 will bring Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Plaza skate part into EA Black Box's skateboarding sequel, publisher EA announced today.

Who's Rob Dyrdek, you may ask? Why, he's a professional skateboarder and the star of the MTV pseudo-reality show Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, which is all about the antics and drama that occur in and around the funhouse below Dyrdek's office.

"I can't wait to give players a taste of the Fantasy Plaza, my dream skateboarding space," noted Dyrdek. "The team at Black Box has recreated the plaza in Skate 2, complete with all the ledges, gaps and rails. On top of all that, there's still a lot more surprises outside the park that both gamers and skaters will enjoy."

Out today, the Fantasy Plaza DLC will set PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers back $5.

This compilation of Skate 2 tricks by elemenopee183 is unbelievable. According to EA, the Skate 2 dev team was "blown away" by the solo effort.

It's no Take A Seat, but it is very impressive.

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The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Skate 2 head off to retailers today, so EA sent along a new batch of screenshots from Black Box's latest, and last, in order to celebrate.

But don't worry! Just because developer Black Box is shutting down doesn't mean the series is done, as EA promises that its development teams and "associated game franchises" are simply being relocated to a nearby office in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Also, don't forget that a free demo of Skate 2 is on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

This week's PlayStation Store update is marked primarly by the Skate 2 demo, which makes its way to the PlayStation 3 after debuting last week on the Xbox 360. The rest of the updates? A brick-breaker called Magic Ball and the arcade racer GTI Club+ have been added to the downloadable game section, while a number of plethora of DLC and game videos pad out the list.

Click through for the full update:... Read more

Electronic Arts today released the final Skate 2 media blast before the game's launch. If you haven't checked out the demo on Xbox Live yet, take a look at the follow screenshots for what you're missing.

Skate 2 is slated to hit the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 21--exactly one week from today.

Seemingly confirming what was already known, Electronic Arts announced today that a downloadable demo for EA Black Box's Skate 2 will be available on Xbox 360 tomorrow.

But what about the PlayStation 3 demo that many assumed would hit at the same time? Turns out the PlayStation Store download isn't hitting until next Thursday, January 15.

The publisher also spilled some details on the demo's actual content, promising a sample of the single-player game as well as two online modes: Hall of Meat, in which players attempt to rack up the most injuries, and the points-centric Spot Battle.

Skate 2 rolls into North American retailers on January 21. And while the EA Black Box studio is shutting down soon, its development teams and "associated game franchises" appear safe, as EA says that they're just being relocated to a nearby office.

EA sent along this new Skate 2 trailer, which explains the new features coming to the multiplayer component of the game. It also features The Wizard.

Skate 2 is slated to hit PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 21.

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A downloadable demo of EA Black Box's extreme and pain-filled amateur skateboarding effort Skate 2 will be released on Xbox 360 next week, according to Xbox.com.

The page details a demo-related contest that will run from January 8-15, during which time Xbox 360 owners can win Skate swag and Microsoft Points by downloading the free demo and the accompanying Skate 2 Demo Registration Gamer Picture.

As January 8 is a Thursday, a PlayStation 3 version of the demo is likely to arrive then, as that is when Sony will resume its weekly updates of the online PlayStation Store.

The thumb-flicking sequel, which brings the ability to get off that board and push objects to form new trick lines, is slated to hit PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 come January 21.

Why? Because Billy, for that one moment, you're free. Your feet leave the ground, and time suddenly stops. You taste the clean air. You can feel everything.

But whatever you do, remember to let go of the analog stick in time.

Screenshots courtesy of soon-to-be-closed Skate 2 developer EA Black Box.

Why are so many professional skateboarders stuck in jail with a panda? And just what does this have to do with Skate 2? Four and a half minutes later, I have no idea.

Developed by EA Black Box, Skate 2 hits PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 21.

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This trailer for EA Black Box's Skate sequel details the new graphics creator, which allows players to design an image on the Skate website and import it into the game. Obscenities ahoy.

Skate 2 is set to hit stores January 21 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

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If Tony Hawk 2 was the game that solidified that series, Skate 2 may function similarly for developer EA Black Box.

Of course this sequel provides the usual move updates, with one-foot plants, off-board running and other stylistic additions to the game's innovative, analog-based control scheme. The world has been predictably redesigned. And you can play as a chick now, too.

But there are also a few major additions that do a lot to open up the multiplayer experience--making this a serious sequel worth taking note of, rather than an obvious franchise cash-in.

As in the original Skate, up to six players can play simultaneously online. The "Freeskate Here" option allows players to instantly enter multiplayer, a la Burnout Paradise. An in-game menu will display friends that are available to invite to your freeskate, and after that, it's a matter of proposing a mode.

Probably the most eye-catching new mode is the Hall of Meat. Essentially, this mode mimics that physics-based "stair dismount" Porrasturvat game, and capitalizes on the hilariously painful Skate.reel videos that populated the internet following the first game's release. Players earn points for accumulating broken bones... Read more

This Skate 2-themed developer video is presented by Gollum-esque EA producer Chris Parry. In addition to his Smeagol impression, Parry also wears a bear suit, and talks about the game a little.

Skate 2 hits January 21 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

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Accompanying today's earlier word that Skate 2 (PS3, 360) will hit North America on January 21 and everywhere else on January 23, publisher EA has released a handful of new screenshots from Black Box's skateboarding sequel.

Electronic Arts announced today that Black Box's PS3 and Xbox 360 skateboarding sequel Skate 2, long promised to hit in early 2009, will hit North American retailers on January 21, followed by a worldwide release on January 23.

The sequel packs a number of new additions to the series, including the ability to hop off that skateboard and push objects around in an attempt to construct better trick lines.

Those that pre-order the game from unspecified North America retailers will receive a code for an unlockable "Throwback Pack," described as "a special upgrade pack that includes retro clothing, accessories and gestures."

Furthering the customization focus, a web-based Graphics Creator, due on the Skate site in December, will let users brand in-game clothing with custom designs.

Remember user-made Skate videos? Man, those were some great times. EA Black Box remembers them too, and they want to keep the party going in Skate 2. Using the established cinematic technique known as the "developer interview," Black Box staffers explain how players are given more control in their videos this time around.

Also, the fate of Grandma--the crash-landing pad of choice for many skaters in the original--is revealed. Skate 2 lands with a totally awesome wipe-out on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in early 2009.

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