A new arcade skateboarding game built with input from a working professional skater is now playable on Xbox Series X|S. Skatesterre, developed by Goon Squad and published by Headup, became available on the console on August 13, 2026, according to Xbox Wire. Rather than chase the realistic sports simulations that now dominate the genre, the team set out to recreate the pick-up-and-play flow of late-1990s and early-2000s arcade titles.
The project began as a personal passion, not a market strategy. Dieter of Headup and Goon Squad’s lead developer, both lifelong skaters, wanted to recapture the feel of genre landmarks such as Skate or Die, Dave Mirra, Grind Session, and the early Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games. They describe those classics as less frustrating and more accessible than today’s simulators, and built Skatesterre around an intuitive control scheme that lets players chain large combos almost immediately. The Microsoft Store listing pitches the result as “fast-paced arcade skateboarding gameplay” with a deep combo system, mission-based objectives across multiple levels, and unlockable fashion items for the playable character.
What sets Skatesterre apart from most retro throwbacks is its collaboration with Dutch skateboarder Sterre Meijer, who skates as Surfsterre. Meijer advised on the look and style of the in-game character, and the studio rebuilt much of the character model to represent her authentically. The Xbox Wire announcement frames the partnership as both a creative match and a nod to the growing presence of women in skateboarding.
Under the hood, the game runs on Unreal Engine’s latest features while preserving the lightweight “one more run” loop of classic arcade skating, as detailed in the same Xbox Wire post. Levels are laid out as continuous lines of rails, ramps, and hidden routes rather than isolated obstacles, encouraging players to experiment and develop their own style.
For more arcade-style Xbox coverage, see our look at Ridge Racer on the platform and the upcoming cozy sim Whisper of the House.
