If one thing sold me on developer Full Circle’s new vision of a “living, breathing” Skate, it’s this: I’d hopped into a session with two friends and, after sampling a few challenges, we decided to make our own. We climbed to the top of a nearby skyscraper, set a session marker (letting us teleport back to the top), and skydived down to spawn a single ramp using the game’s Quick Drop tool. The challenge: can we successfully land on that ramp and keep skating after a 70-storey drop?
But what amazed me wasn’t that this bit of purely organic fun was possible – it was that, pretty soon, other players started joining in. Complete strangers started teleporting to us, watching what we were up to and (because Quick Drop items appear for all players in your session), trying it for themselves.
I’ve played every Skate game with something bordering on obsession since the series began and, after a 15-year wait for a fourth full instalment, there was always going to be some trepidation about how it had changed. With more than 30 hours of the Game Preview version now under my belt, I’m delighted to say that I needn’t have worried.
This new live-service take on the series feels less like a change for change’s sake, and more like a thoughtful approach to how this series can work in the modern gaming landscape – taking what we already know and love about the series, and layering in an evolving, collaborative approach.
“It has been a long time,” Head of Creative, Jeff Seamster tells me. “And while we’re doing a lot of new things, it’s our hope that players familiar with the series will immediately recognize the meticulous skateboarding design and depth of creative play that we all fell in love with from the previous Skate games.”
He’s not wrong. It might be free-to-play, it might be set in the new city of San Vansterdam, and it may still have some familiar features waiting to be added (as you’d expect from an early version) but, as a longtime fan, the first impression is that this is a Skate game, through and through.
Familiar tricks work exactly as I remember them, the freedom to play without objectives remains wholly intact – this feels like Skate, even in its new context. Better yet, that new context makes this a truly exciting proposition – this isn’t a game set in amber, there’s room to expand in nearly every direction. The city can change and grow, tricks can be added to the repertoire, new modes and challenges will appear.
“Having the ability to continue to expand on the game is probably the thing I’m most excited about as we enter Early Access,” says Executive Producer, Mike McCartney. “We will be releasing regular seasonal updates. Each one will be themed and contain new features, new stuff to skate, new content, new music and much more.
“Additionally, each season will have regular themed events for players to participate in. Outside of the seasonal structure we will also be doing regular quality of life updates addressing bugs and the overall player experience.”
Full Circle is aiming to deliver those seasonal updates every 2 or 3 months, constantly building out from the baseline version of San Vansterdam. That will include new and returning tricks – new Handplants and Impossibles will arrive in Season 2, with Darkslides, Bonelesses, Finger Flips, and more coming later. All of these will unlock for all players – you won’t need to unlock them through in-game rewards. Updates will also increase the number of multiplayer modes:
“Oh if you could only see the thing we have in store…” Seamster teases. “Yes, we will be adding more competitive and cooperative modes of play throughout live service. Some of them will be familiar to veterans of the series and others will be brand spankin’ new. We’re trying out all kinds of things to see what really lands with our players.”
But perhaps the most exciting element of all this is how San Vansterdam itself will change. I’ve already had moments where I’ve discovered entire skate parks on top of buildings, hidden from view at ground level (and accessed by the excellent climbing system).
There are also Community Skateparks across the map that change each day, always offering something new to master. Add to that the Quick Drop feature, where entire groups of players can collaborate to create skate-able features anywhere in the world, for all the players around them, and it’s hugely malleable.
But it’s only going to get more interesting over time. San Vansterdam itself is primed to grow – there’s even a voiceline in the game that points out that one of the bridges is currently closed, seemingly teasing that we’ll be moving off of the island we’re skating on now. But the current neighborhoods are set to change, too.
“Existing areas will evolve over time, but not all at the same time,” says Seamster. “Just like any good city planner, we’ll expand and improve where it’s needed most while preserving what makes San Van great. Our seasons will also incorporate various temporary installations to showcase either a specific event or seasonal celebration.”
And it’s not just about pointing players to what’s been added – the developers want people to explore. “Discovery is one of the most exciting things about our game,” Seamster adds. “The verticality of San Van is one of the major growth areas for Skate, giving us a new way to build areas of play either incorporating or chaining together rooftop installations. And that’s just one of the ways we’re expanding the world over time.”
All of this begs the question – if this is the Game Preview version, what does a 1.0 version look like? Is there a finish line for this take on Skate?
“We don’t really think in terms of the game being finished,” says McCartney. “Our intent is to continually update the game with new features, content and improvements to keep our players engaged and having fun. As we continue development we are excited to partner with our players to figure out where the game goes next.”
Which brings me back round to the anecdote I started with – Skate is encouraging its players not to just inhabit the same place, but play with it together. Where we gravitate to, what we build, the experiments we try together, are all a part of what this game is aiming for. But the most exciting thing? The developers are watching – what we choose to do together could change how the whole game evolves.
For the series of extreme sports games, the Skate logo has been chosen to be serious because that is their theme. This was done to ensure the players’ focus and heightened attention without distracting them from the process. As a result, the emblem turned out to be monochrome and textual.
Skate: Brand overview
Meaning and History
The Skate series began with three base parts for the seventh-generation consoles, intended for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. An additional version was also released for the Nintendo console. A total of four games were released annually. In 2022, the developers announced another original game that will be free of charge.
The name of the game series is directly related to the plot and the theme of skating. Despite the expansion of extreme sports in the gaming industry, it remains unchanged, as it relates not only to skateboarding. The creators used business logos (two in total) to emphasize the seriousness of the challenges.
What is Skate?
Skate is a series of games developed by EA Black Box as part of a project launched by Electronic Arts. The first release appeared in 2007, followed by two more main releases and one additional release. In 2022, the fourth base part was published. The games are designed for several platforms, including iOS, Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and mobile phone operating systems.
2007 – 2022
The earliest Skate logo consists of two parts: textual and graphical. On the left is an orange icon with a white arrow in negative space. The icon contains four colored geometric shapes arranged on the sides: two truncated rectangles and as many triangles. They are mirror-imaged and repeat each other. Thanks to an interesting design technique, the arrow points downward. This direction is not chosen at random, as it conveys the direction of motion. On the right is the name of the game.
The inscription was originally set in a custom font. Some letters have an even base reminiscent of sled runners, ice skates, snowboards, or skateboards. The even line is only absent in the “s,” which is rounded and perfectly conveys the shape of a skating ramp. Overall, the developers have turned each glyph in the name into an element of sports gear. The inscription is black.
2022 – today
Currently, a textual Skate emblem is used, with the arrow icon removed. The designers revised the inscription’s style and chose a different font. The update made the logo clearer and more readable. The letters are printed, expressive, smooth, and classic. The only exception is the “e,” which, judging by the inner crossbar, is slightly tilted diagonally. This inclination symbolizes a hill for riding or a ramp and, essentially, replaces the arrow. Instead of the copyright symbol at the end of the word, there is a large, bold dot.
The evolution of the Skate logo led to a combined symbol, as designers integrated graphics and text in the modern version. They removed the downward-pointing arrow and turned the “e” sideways so its crossbar began to resemble a slope people usually ride on sleds, skis, snowboards, and skateboards.
Font and Colors
Thanks to the diagonal cuts at the ends of the “s” and “e,” the font in the modern game emblem looks distinctive, even though the letter shapes are quite common. It is a bold sans-serif in lowercase with a flipped-back “e.” It is tilted to resemble a ramp-like structure for skateboarding or a gentle slope. The early logo contains a unique inscription designed in an individual style. The emblem’s color palette is monochrome, consisting of black and white.
Early Access Game
Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.
Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more
Why Early Access?
“We have an ambitious vision for skate.: an ever-growing, ever-evolving skateboarding sandbox that expands over time. We've always known this game needed to be built in partnership with our players. We've been doing that through the last 3 years of playtesting - and we want to continue that same collaboration with our players in this next phase.Our Early Access launch will be a starting point from which new features, improvements, live events, and seasonal content will be added over time.”
Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?
“We don’t have a fixed timeline to officially exit Early Access, as the game will evolve, grow, and improve based on player feedback. However, we expect to move towards a “full” release approximately a year out from the start of Early Access but we don’t know for certain at this time.”
How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
“The Early Access launch features what we consider to be the essentials of skate. including the Flick-It trick system from previous games which we’ve refined for modern players. There will also be tons of content to experience with other players in San Vansterdam.Our plan is that the “full” version will be an evolution of Early Access, with added challenges, features, live events, and gameplay improvements based on player feedback.”
What is the current state of the Early Access version?
“skate.’s large-scale, open world city is a dedicated skateboarding destination with 150 players per server and cross platform play and progression. You can play with friends to find skateboarding spots around every corner [many in unexpected places]. The game has missions, skill-building challenges, and live seasonal events. You have plenty of options to customize your character and decks, including partnerships with exciting real world brands.The beloved Flick-It trick system from previous Skate games is significantly improved, giving players the depth of control and finesse to pull off incredible moves with style. Climbing and offboard controls help players traverse the world to find and conquer the city's best spots. Players can modify and leave their mark on the world using our in-world editor to drop ramps, rails, and more in their favorite locations. In the world of San Vansterdam, change is constant, so players will see the city - along with live events and other in-game activities - transform meaningfully over time.”
Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?
“skate. will be available for free in Early Access and beyond.”
How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?
“We have always been committed to player-led development, and thousands of skaters have already played a central role in shaping the game’s development. Future development, during Early Access and after, will be informed by what the skateboarders from San Vansterdam love to do, and the feedback they provide.Through our official Discord and other forums, we actively solicit feedback, from which we make gameplay adjustments, triage bugs, and address other player requests. We are providing the community with a clear view of what’s ahead through developer Q&As, blogs, and upcoming roadmaps.”
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