Hawk says declining Activision's $500,000 royalty buyout led to his first million
Tony Hawk · Tony Hawk inspiring us for 72 minutes straight · Sep 9, 2026 · at 43:48
Tony Hawk recounts turning down a $500,000 upfront buyout offer from Activision for his future royalties immediately before the launch of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
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“Right before the release, they called me and said, we want to offer you a buyout of future royalties. I said, what does that mean? They said, we want to offer you half a million dollars, and then you won't get royalties going forward. At that time in my life, someone saying a half a million dollars sounded like a half a gazillion dollars. Like I had never heard anyone speak those words unless they're talking about some fantastical person that we will never meet. But I had just bought a new house. I had got a, I got a mortgage that I could finally afford. I had some decent prospects with sponsorships with a competition. I was still competing and I thought now I'm going to let her ride. Like, why not? And that's how I made my first million.”
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