Skate Game Demands Constant Internet Connection

EA's eagerly awaited revival of Skate will necessitate a constant internet connection. In a recent update to their FAQ on the official blog, developer Full Circle confirmed this with a straightforward "No," elaborating that "The game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving. You'll witness larger evolutions like changes to the city over time, as well as smaller details such as live events and other in-game activities."

An "always on" requirement means that the game cannot be played offline, even for those who prefer single-player modes. Full Circle emphasized that this continuous internet connection is crucial "to deliver on [its] vision of a skateboarding world, the game will always require a live connection." The developer noted, "That is probably not much of a surprise if you've been in our playtest."

This comes in the wake of the Always-On Playtest that began in September 2024, which tests the game in a live environment with servers running non-stop. Skate’s early access is slated for 2025, though an exact date has not been confirmed yet. 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 engaged the community with closed community playtests of early builds and recently introduced microtransactions.

Players can use real money 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 smooth microtransaction experience, as they aim to "test Skate's microtransaction purchase system." They explained in the blog, "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. If you see prices or other things changing over time, please understand that this is normal. And of course, you will receive the amount you spent during playtesting in San Van Bucks (SVB) when we reset for Early Access launch."