EA's highly anticipated revival of Skate will require an "always on" internet connection, as confirmed by developer Full Circle in an updated FAQ on their official blog. The developer provided a straightforward response to whether the game could be played offline: "The simple answer: No." They elaborated that the game and its city are designed to be a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox" that is constantly online and evolving. This design choice means players will experience dynamic changes to the city over time, along with live events and other in-game activities.
The "always on" requirement means that even players who prefer solo gameplay or avoid multiplayer modes will need to be connected to the internet at all times. Full Circle emphasized that this is essential "to deliver on [its] vision of a skateboarding world." They noted that this might not come as a surprise to those who have participated in their playtests, which began in September 2024 with the Always-On Playtest phase. This phase aims to test the game in a continuous live environment with servers running 24/7.
Skate’s early access is slated for 2025, though a specific date has yet to be announced. The game was first revealed during EA Play way back in 2020 and described as being in its very early stages of development. Since then, Full Circle has engaged the community with closed community playtests of early builds and recently introduced microtransactions.
Players can now spend real-world money on a virtual currency called San Van Bucks, which can be used to purchase cosmetic items. Full Circle is keen on testing Skate’s microtransaction system to ensure players have a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store." They acknowledged that using real money in a playtest is unusual but necessary to assess and fine-tune the system before the official launch. The team reassured players that any money spent during the playtest will be converted to San Van Bucks (SVB) and credited back when the game resets for the Early Access launch. They also mentioned that price adjustments and other changes during this period are part of the testing process.
