EA's much-anticipated revival of Skate will necessitate an "always on" internet connection, as confirmed in an updated FAQ on the official blog by developer Full Circle. The team succinctly stated, "The simple answer: No," explaining that the game is envisioned as a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving." This means players can expect both large-scale evolutions, like city changes, and smaller, dynamic elements such as live events and other in-game activities.
The "always on" requirement implies that Skate cannot be played offline, a decision Full Circle stands by to realize their vision of a connected skateboarding world. They noted, "That is probably not much of a surprise if you’ve been in our playtest," referencing the Always-On Playtest that commenced in September 2024. This phase aims to evaluate the game within a continuous live environment, with servers operating non-stop.
Looking ahead, Skate is slated for an early access launch in 2025, though a specific date remains unconfirmed. Initially announced at EA Play back in 2020, the game was described as being in its very early stages. Since then, Full Circle has engaged the community with closed community playtests of early builds and recently introduced microtransactions.
Players can use real-world currency to purchase a virtual currency called San Van Bucks, which can then be spent on cosmetic items. Full Circle aims to ensure a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store," and views real money transactions during the playtest as a crucial method to fine-tune the system before the official launch. They assured players that any money spent during the playtest would be converted to San Van Bucks (SVB) and credited back upon the reset for the Early Access launch. The team also mentioned that fluctuations in pricing or other elements are to be expected as part of this testing process.
