Since late last year, there have been rumors about a new entry in the beloved SSX series, but EA’s registration of two SSX-related domain names pretty much sealed the deal.  Since the game hasn’t been formally announced, though, we’ve gotten no details whatsoever.  Kotaku is claiming that they do, in fact, have some particulars about the most highly anticipated snowboarding title in years.

According to “a source familiar with development of the game,” the next iteration will take the franchise “back to its roots," but feature controls similar to those found in EA’s Skate series.  The game is said to be developed by “much of the Skate team.”

Kotaku also made reference to a series of online surveys, sent out to SSX fans by EA this past Summer, that included this description of a new, unnamed snowboarding game; “an intense, moment-to-moment battle against the forces created from riding your snowboard over the most spectacular and remote mountains on Earth." Gameplay was said to involve "avoiding, out-running and even riding on top of massive avalanches; battling hurricane winds; white-outs; bitter cold; falling rocks; and gaping crevasses that open up at a moment's notice."  The survey also proposed several new gameplay elements, such as “(taking) part in helicopter drops and rescues, base-jumping, wingsuit/squirrel-suit flying, skyboarding, para-skiing, ice-climbing and more."

Finally, Kotaku proposes that the cryptic “The Planet” trailer, originally thought to be Battlefield-related, may actually be for a new SSX.  With it’s snow-capped peaks and a helicopter that seems made for dropping out of, this makes a lot of sense.  We’ll definitely know more about the trailer this weekend, when it gets a full reveal at the Spike TV VGA ceremony.  I have a strong feeling we’ll know more about the next SSX, too.