Rollerdrome
A third-person shooter where tricks reload your guns.
Rollerdrome is an action game that blends roller skating with third-person shooting. It was created by Roll7, the studio behind the OlliOlli series, and first released for Windows, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on August 16, 2022, with an Xbox Series X/S version following on November 28, 2023. Private Division originally published it, but after Take Two Interactive sold Private Division and Roll7 dissolved in 2024, publishing rights moved to 2K.
Players control Kara Hassan, a contestant in a deadly sport where they must perform roller-skating tricks while fighting enemies with firearms. Ammunition is replenished by landing tricks, and health is restored by collecting pick-ups from defeated foes. The game includes a bullet time function for aiming, and players dodge attacks while skating through stages. Completing levels unlocks more powerful weapons like grenade launchers and shotguns, but also introduces tougher enemies. Optional challenges ask players to eliminate foes while performing specific tricks.
The game began as a side project by solo designer Paul Rabbitte during a 2017 game jam with the theme "Dual Purpose Design." Rabbitte described the prototype as a mix of Tony Hawk's games and Doom. Roll7 liked it, and Rabbitte joined the studio to finish the project. Production took two years, with the first year spent nailing down core gameplay. The team decided Rollerdrome would be primarily a shooter, with skating mechanics supporting the gunplay. Players don't fall when failing tricks—a deliberate choice to keep momentum in skating and combat. Lead producer Drew Jones said the team drew inspiration from 1970s works like Rollerball and The Running Man. The cel-shaded visual style was chosen to keep gameplay readable and avoid overwhelming players.
Rollerdrome was announced on June 2, 2022, during Sony's State of Play event. On Metacritic, it received "generally favorable reviews," and OpenCritic found that 78% of critics recommended it. GameSpot praised how skating and shooting integrated without tricks hindering combat. The Guardian liked the flow state from combos but called the difficulty spikes "downright brutal." Game Informer noted that needing tricks to reload forced players to "dazzle the crowd or down an adversary." The Washington Post found some maps unclear about where players could skate, calling it a design flaw.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Rollerdrome
- Developer
- Roll7
- Publisher
- Private Division (2021–2025) / 2K (2025–)
- Producer
- Drew Jones
- Director
- Paul Rabbitte
- Engine
- Unity
- Composer
- Electric Dragon
- Designer
- Andreas Yiannikaris
- Released
- Windows, PS4, PS5 · August 16, 2022 · Xbox Series X/S · November 28, 2023
- Modes
- Single-player
- Genre
- Action
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X/S
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Rollerdrome was developed by Roll7, the studio behind the OlliOlli series. The game began as a side project of solo game designer Paul Rabbitte, who conceived it during a 48-hour game jam hosted by Game Maker's Toolkit in 2017 with the theme of 'Dual Purpose Design'. Rabbitte described the prototype as a mix between Tony Hawk's games and Doom. Roll7 took a liking to the prototype, and Rabbitte joined the studio to finish the project. The game spent two years in production, with the first year used to determine the core gameplay; the team ultimately decided Rollerdrome would primarily be a shooter, with skating mechanics heavily complementing the gunplay. Players do not fall when failing to perform a trick, an intentional design choice to maintain momentum. According to lead producer Drew Jones, the team drew on inspiration from the 1970s, citing Rollerball and The Running Man as examples. The cel-shaded visual style was chosen to preserve gameplay readability and prevent players from feeling overwhelmed.
Reader's Guide
Rollerdrome's significance lies in its fusion of two distinct genres—roller skating and third-person shooting—into a cohesive gameplay loop. The requirement to perform tricks to reload ammunition forces players to balance offense and acrobatics, creating a flow state that critics noted could be both exhilarating and punishing. The game received generally favorable reviews, with GameSpot praising how skating never impedes shooting but instead helps the game stand apart. The Guardian highlighted the flow state achievable through combos but criticized high difficulty spikes as 'downright brutal'. Game Informer noted that the reload mechanic makes players rely on dazzling the crowd or downing an adversary. The Washington Post pointed out occasional unclear skate paths, while GamesRadar+ felt arenas rarely challenged players to use layouts creatively. Eurogamer praised the art style, comparing it to magazines and the work of Jean Giraud. After Take Two Interactive's sale of Private Division and the dissolution of Roll7 in 2024, publishing rights transferred to 2K. The game crossed 1 million players in March 2024.
Did You Know?
- Rollerdrome was conceived during a 48-hour game jam with the theme 'Dual Purpose Design'.
- The prototype was described by its creator as a mix between Tony Hawk's games and Doom.
- Players do not fall when failing a trick, a deliberate design choice to maintain momentum.
- The game's visual style was inspired by 1970s media such as Rollerball and The Running Man.
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