"Skate Game Demands Constant Internet Connection"

EA's eagerly awaited revival of Skate will mandate an "always on" internet connection, as confirmed in an updated FAQ on the official blog by developer Full Circle. The team's response to the possibility of offline play was a straightforward "No," emphasizing that Skate is envisioned as a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox" that remains online and continuously evolves. This design choice facilitates dynamic changes to the city, alongside live events and other in-game activities.

An "always on" requirement signifies that the game cannot be played without an internet connection, even for solo players. Full Circle reiterated their commitment to this approach, stating it's essential "to deliver on \[its\] vision of a skateboarding world." The developer noted that this shouldn't come as a surprise, especially for those who participated in their playtests.

In September 2024, Full Circle initiated the Always-On Playtest, designed to evaluate the game within a constant live environment with servers running non-stop.

Skate's early access is slated for 2025, although a specific date remains undisclosed. The game was first announced at EA Play back in 2020, described then as being in its early development stages. Since that announcement, Full Circle has engaged the community through closed community playtests and recently introduced microtransactions.

Players can use real money to purchase a virtual currency known as San Van Bucks (SVB), which is used to acquire cosmetic items. Full Circle is keen on ensuring a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store," and thus integrated real money transactions into the playtest to fine-tune the system before the game's launch. The developer acknowledged that using real money in a playtest might seem unconventional but deemed it necessary for assessing and adjusting the system. They also assured players that any money spent during the playtest would be converted into SVB upon the reset for the Early Access launch, with prices and other elements subject to change as part of the testing process.