Online play dropped from key PS3 launch title

Developer Neversoft has dropped online play from the PlayStation 3 version of Tony Hawk's Project 8, a key third-party launch title for Sony's next-gen console.

The developer has only recently received development kits for the PlayStation 3 and has not had time to implement online play ahead of the consoles' US and Japanese launch in November, according to an article on IGN.

"Neversoft is confident the PS3 version of the game will ship at launch in November, but it still hasn't received all of the software libraries and has no indication of how the online components will work on PS3, so it's not offering them," detailed the report.

With online play a major battleground for all the next-generation consoles, the loss of online features for a key third-party franchise could prove to be another blow for Sony - already dealing with the aftermath of a delay to the European launch of the console.

Neversoft was the first developer to offer online play for the PlayStation 2 with the launch of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 in October 2001, well ahead of Sony's official online service.

Tony Hawk's Project 8 for the Xbox 360 will support up to eight players online, as well as other features over the Xbox Live service.

Publisher Activision was unable to offer comment at the time of writing.