EA's highly anticipated revival of Skate will necessitate a constant internet connection, as revealed in an updated FAQ on the official blog by developer Full Circle. They provided a straightforward response to whether the game can be played offline: "The simple answer: No." Full Circle elaborated that the game and its city are envisioned as a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox" that is perpetually online and continuously evolving. This design allows for both significant changes to the city over time and smaller updates like live events and other in-game activities.
The requirement for an "always on" connection means that even solo play cannot be conducted offline. Full Circle explained that this is essential to fulfill their vision of creating a connected skateboarding world.
This approach shouldn't come as a shock to those who have participated in the playtests, as Full Circle noted, "That is probably not much of a surprise if you’ve been in our playtest." The Always-On Playtest, which commenced in September 2024, aims to test the game within a persistent live environment, with servers operating continuously.
Skate is slated for an early access release in 2025, though a specific date has yet to be confirmed. Initially announced during EA Play way back in 2020, the game was described as being in its "very early" stages of development. Since then, Full Circle has engaged the community with closed community playtests of early builds. Last month, they introduced microtransactions into the game.
Players can use real-world money to purchase a virtual currency called San Van Bucks, which can then be used to acquire cosmetic items. Full Circle aims to refine Skate’s microtransaction system, emphasizing the importance of a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store." They acknowledged that using real money during a playtest is unconventional but necessary to thoroughly evaluate and fine-tune the system before the game's launch.
The team also reassured players that any changes in pricing or other aspects during the playtest are part of the normal adjustment process. They added that players will receive the equivalent amount they spent during playtesting in San Van Bucks (SVB) when the game resets for the Early Access launch.
