Skate Disappoints Fans with News, Yet Confirms Early Access Timing

EA and Full Circle are set to bring their Skate reboot into early access by 2025, but it’s noteworthy that this version will not support offline play. The game’s unique setting, San Vansterdam, is designed as a constantly evolving online sandbox, ensuring that players will always encounter something new.

In anticipation of this launch, more playtest invitations will be distributed in June 2025, allowing some gamers to experience the game ahead of time.

The excitement around the Skate series reignited when EA announced this reboot in 2020, a decade after the release of Skate 3. Since then, anticipation has grown steadily, particularly after initial playtests began in 2022. EA has since broadened these tests, extending them to include both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms. Fans have a rough understanding of what to expect, though the clock ticks down to early access.

The developers, through their blog “The Grind,” have detailed how Skate’s online world will operate. They envision a vibrant, multiplayer skating experience that morphs over time through real-time events and activities. This persistent online presence is the reason why an offline mode won’t be available — even during playtests.

The early access launch is just the starting point for what the creators refer to as a “live sandbox experience.” Over the following months, they plan to roll out new features and make ongoing improvements. Although microtransactions remain a contentious issue, their inclusion from the playtests will carry over. The idea is that funds from these in-game purchases will help fuel development while maintaining fairness for all players.

EA is conducting extensive testing across PC and PlayStation to gather player feedback on these microtransactions, ensuring any problems are addressed. Players who invest in San Van Bucks during the playtest will find their purchases converted seamlessly once the game officially enters early access.

Longtime fans, despite some disappointment about the lack of offline gameplay, have a chance to dive into the world of Skate during upcoming playtests. With playtest invitations rolling out in June and more updates expected, excitement continues to build as the early access phase approaches.