"We also view it as highly likely that the game will include some sort of skateboard peripheral with all SKUs when it ships, given the massive success (and higher price points and profitability) of Activision Blizzard's Guitar Hero franchise," Creutz wrote in an recent report.

The next major Tony Hawk game--referred to as Tony Hawk's Huck Jam, Adrenaline and Amplitude--is expected to hit PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2009. Publisher Activision Blizzard has remained rather quiet on the subject, only noting that the franchise will be reworked and "won't be your father's Tony Hawk."

"The extra year of development time and the opportunity for consumers to shake off franchise fatigue could contribute to better unit sales than the franchise has enjoyed in recent years," added Creutz.

The only Tony Hawk release coming this fall, Creat Studio's Tony Hawk's Motion for Nintendo DS, will pack a motion-sensor add-on and may supply further evidence of a peripheral-based future for the franchise.