EA's highly anticipated revival of Skate will necessitate an "always on" internet connection, as confirmed by developer Full Circle in an updated FAQ on their official blog. They provided a straightforward response: "No," explaining that the game is designed as a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving." This means players will experience both large-scale changes to the city and smaller live events and activities.
The "always on" requirement ensures that the game cannot be played offline, even for those who prefer solo play. Full Circle emphasizes that this connection is essential "to deliver on [its] vision of a skateboarding world."
This shouldn't come as a surprise to those who participated in the playtests. In September 2024, Full Circle initiated an Always-On Playtest to evaluate the game in a continuously running live environment.
While Skate’s early access is scheduled for 2025, the exact date remains unconfirmed. The project was first announced at EA Play way back in 2020, described then as "very early" in development. Since that time, Full Circle has engaged the community with closed community playtests of early builds and 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 is keen on ensuring a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store" and views the playtest as an opportunity to refine the microtransaction system before the official launch.
"We know that using real money during a playtest is a little unusual, but we think it’s the best way to properly assess and adjust the system before launch," the team stated in today's blog update. They also noted that any changes in pricing or other elements during the playtest are part of the process, and players will receive the equivalent amount spent in San Van Bucks (SVB) when the system is reset for the Early Access launch.
