The eagerly awaited Skate 4 has an early access release date set for 2025. This news was announced in a post by the developers, Full Circle, on Xitter. To be clear, writing about this game involves a strange quirk due to the title’s enforced punctuation by Electronic Arts (EA), resulting in sentences punctuated awkwardly. However, let’s just refer to it as Skate to avoid unnecessary confusion and pauses.
Early Access on the Horizon
Full Circle’s announcement revealed that Skate will debut in early access in 2025. Although details are sparse at the moment, the developers promise more information in the coming months. This initial phase aims to offer players a taste of the game while collecting crucial feedback to polish its eventual full release.
What We’ve Seen So Far
From the previews and footage available, Skate promises an exhilarating experience. The game showcases proto-sandboxes with skaters performing wild stunts, including bailing off rooftops and sailing down skyscrapers in a setup resembling a human pachinko machine. For those who can’t wait, there’s an entire playlist of highlights from testers and some exceptional bail compilations available on YouTube:
Adding to the game’s transparent development process, developers regularly engage in informal chitchats about the progress:
The Appeal of Semi-Open Development
Interestingly, back in 2022, a multiplayer alpha version of the game was leaked online. This unintentional early glimpse didn’t cause much harm to the studio, which already leaned into a semi-open development model. Through their updates, one can see the raw, often chaotic state of video game development. These work-in-progress snippets offer a fascinating look into the otherwise hidden world of game creation, with blockouts of levels and contorted animations that remind players that polished games don’t appear overnight. They start as rough, humorous playgrounds full of potential.
Building the Perfect Skate Park
The new Skate game seems poised to offer a blend of fun and creative freedom for players. Fans of the genre might recall the realistic foot physics in Session or the thumb-blistering arcade action of OlliOlli World. If Full Circle’s game captures the essence of both—the precision of a sim and the whimsical fun of a cartoon skate adventure—it could strike a unique balance in the genre.
However, there’s a caveat. Skate will follow a free-to-play model supported by microtransactions. While this approach can keep the game financially accessible, it also brings concerns about in-game purchases that could affect the playing experience.
Closing Credits
As we anticipate the early access launch of Skate in 2025, gamers have much to look forward to. Full Circle’s transparent development and the game’s intriguing previews suggest a promising addition to the skateboarding game genre. Let’s hope the final product satisfies both the hardcore sim enthusiasts and casual kick-flipper fans alike, while keeping those pesky microtransactions in check. Stay tuned for more updates as the release date approaches.
