New Snowboard Franchise Announced: Stoked

When Shaun White Snowboarding launches for current-gen consoles this November, it won't be the only shredding title competing for gamers' attention. Veteran PC developers Destineer have announced that they are working on a new console franchise called "Stoked". Stoked is snowboarder-speak for when you are, like, really really excited about something. Fans would likely be more excited about Stoked if Destineer had a more successful track record developing games in the genre. Unfortunately, the company's last outing on the PC was less than a technical masterpiece. The bargain title suffered from game-breakingly low framerates and awkward controls, which made pulling off tricks a real chore.

Still, the company has high hopes for its newest project:

"It’s all about defining your riding style and crafting the line that suits you. Stoked leaves well-worn resorts behind and gives players absolute freedom to ride wherever they want and trick off of anything they can find in some of the most famous backcountry locations the world has to offer. Gameplay is focused on style and finesse, not button mashing; Destineer and Bongfish have created a game that looks and plays like a snowboarding movie.”

According to the developers, Stoked will feature five different mountains covering over 45 square miles of open terrain, hidden drop points for helicopter starts, dynamic weather, multiplayer support and tons of real world pro riders. The list of professional riders who have signed on include: Travis Rice, Nicolas Mueller, Wolle Nyvelt, Annie Boulanger, Romain de Marchi, Tadashi Fuse, Gigi Ruef, and Bjorn Leines.

[Via: Press Release]