EA announced the release date of the long awaited Skate 3 today. Hitting stores on May 11th, the game is set to have new characters and a great social environment. It will allow users to create and share all types of content including skate parks, videos, and images from their console. Users will also be able to upload images from the Skate website allowing for complete customization. See the entire press release below.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – March 17, 2010 - Black Box, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that SKATE^TM 3, the latest installment in the award-winning franchise, will be in stores in North America on May 11^th, 2010 and worldwide on May 14^th, 2010. Redefining the skateboarding experience, SKATE 3 breaks new ground by letting gamers build their ultimate skate team both offline and co-operatively* to take on new challenges or competitive battles against other teams.

“Since the very beginning of the Skate franchise, we have captured the true essence skateboarding, be it from the feel of nailing that perfect trick, to the feeling of just hanging out and sessioning with your friends,” said Jason DeLong, Senior Producer. “For us, SKATE 3 is the culmination of this endeavor – the most connected, accessible and social skateboarding experience yet.”

In the all-new Skate.School, Coach Frank acts as a mentor and teaches newcomers the ropes by showing them all the ins-and-outs of skateboarding as they hone their skills on the sticks before hitting the streets with their team. Veterans will also feel right at home in Skate.School as they refresh their skills but also learn all the new tricks SKATE 3 has to offer including darkslides and underflips.

Gamers can hit the streets with the pros in the all-new city of Port Caverton – a true skater’s paradise with unique districts, skate parks, and endless lines. For fans with a creative flair, the new Skate.Park editor allows gamers to create their own dream plaza or mega-ramp park from scratch or use the Object Dropper to alter the landscape of Port Carverton to truly change the face of the city. In the end, SKATE 3 delivers a completely immersive and connected experience giving gamers the tools to build and share their own skate parks, videos, and photos with all their friends by uploading them directly from their console or importing custom created graphics & logos from the Skate website*.

SKATE 3 will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB and “16+” by PEGI.  More information can be found at www.skate.ea.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skate, or follow us on Twitter @Hippyjump.