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EA has announced that Skate will launch in early access on September 16, 2025. This marks the end of years of closed playtesting and waiting. The game will be available for free on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Yesterday, EA confirmed the early access release date and revealed the game’s cover art in a short trailer that showcased some gameplay and introduced players to San Vansterdam.
The fourth entry in EA’s Skate series has been highly anticipated, with 15 years passing since the release of Skate 3 in 2010. This new Skate is quite different from its predecessors, which fans fell in love with between 2007-2010.
This new Skate is a free-to-play live service game featuring cosmetic microtransactions and requiring players to always be online if they want to access San Vansterdam. It’s designed for the modern video game landscape and is the only iteration of Skate that EA believes is worth making today, as EA has chosen not to pursue remasters like those of Tony Hawk.
“Skate is not just a return; it’s a complete evolution of the franchise built to last,” said Mike McCartney, the game’s executive producer. “Our goal with Skate is to capture the freedom, creative expression, and community of skateboarding and share it with as many people as possible.”
While some players might be concerned about the potential focus on selling new board colorways rather than creating a good game, the early access release means that Full Circle and EA will create the experience in partnership with player feedback. As long as Full Circle nails the gameplay, any live service elements can be ignored.
“Community is the heart of skateboarding, and it’s the heart of Skate,” added Jeff Seamster, the game’s head of creative. “From day one, we’ve aimed to create an open, welcoming space shaped by players. We’ve built this game alongside our community – listening, learning, and evolving together.”
We’ll see how Skate’s early access journey begins in a few weeks. Hopefully, it sets a strong foundation so that the game doesn’t face premature closure in the near future.
