Skate to Mandate Constant Internet Connection

EA's much-awaited revival of the beloved Skate series will necessitate an "always on" internet connection, according to the latest FAQ update on the official blog by developer Full Circle. They provided a clear answer: "No," explaining that "The game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving." This means players will experience dynamic changes in the game's city, alongside live events and other in-game activities, ensuring a continually evolving skateboarding experience.

An "always on" requirement means that Skate cannot be played offline, even for those who prefer solo play or wish to avoid multiplayer modes. Full Circle emphasized that this connection is crucial "to deliver on \[its\] vision of a skateboarding world." They noted that this should come as "probably not much of a surprise" to those who have participated in their playtests.

In fact, the team kicked off the Always-On Playtest in September 2024 to assess the game within a permanent live environment, with servers operating non-stop.

Although an exact date has yet to be confirmed, Skate's early access is slated for 2025. 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 kept the community engaged through closed community playtests of early builds and, most recently, introduced microtransactions.

Players can now use real-world currency 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 during these tests, striving to ensure a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store." They acknowledged the unusual nature of using real money in a playtest but believe it's essential for "properly assessing and adjusting the system before launch." They also reassured players that any purchases made during the playtest will be converted to San Van Bucks (SVB) upon the reset for the Early Access launch, with potential price changes being part of the testing process.