The Great skate. Debate

Ah. Skate, a franchise that has left me and many others holding onto fleeting memories, wishing they could be relived. Whether it’s hitting an insane line that took hours to perfect, playing a game of S.K.A.T.E with some buddies online, or throwing your skater around seeing if it’s actually possible to break every bone in their body, fans have kept themselves entertained with the franchise for decades. If you’re a fan of skate culture or had an Xbox 360 way back when, chances are, the thought of booting up a Skate game smacks the nostalgia button faster than hitting ‘retry’ after bailing a nollie tre-flip down a 12 stair. And now, after 10 years of waiting, once again, skate. is back with another title leaving fans excited and worried to see if it lives up to the hype.

Pre-pre-alpha

Since its first announcement back in June 2020 during that year’s EA Play event, players and skaters alike were eager to dive back into a world that let them express their creative — yet (somewhat) grounded — skate visions in a new playground. When the familiar faces of Deran Chung and Cuz Parry appeared on screen to confirm the franchise’s return, fans rejoiced, hoping this new installment would succeed similarly to its predecessor players know and love.

That optimism held strong — and after a long two year wait EA and Full Circle opened their pre-alpha playtest in 2022. For many like me, the process was frustrating, opting in early, but never getting access. To be fair, it was very early in its development, likely being the reason for the limited availability for new testers compared to a flood of players trying to get in. But, efforts to be a member never dwindled.

Shortly after the first play test session, Full Circle began releasing YouTube videos showcasing the gameplay giving players who were still waiting to get in and idea of what they were missing. Starting in October 2024, these videos highlighted new features and a fully online skate. city where players could drop in (pun intended) rails, ramps, and kickers — creating beautiful chaos. Fans got a rare peek at the development process, offering feedback and helping to shape its progress along the way.

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The highlights helped fuel hype, creating hope that skate. was back and better than ever. But one major question remained unanswered: the release date.

The Long Wait

As previously mentioned, it was a painful process trying to get into the pre-alpha play tests, but for many, this seemed like a wait that would be subsided by a release expected to be around the corner, right…? WRONG. skate. fans were ready for a release date, holding onto the idea that after the games initial announcement, it should be on shelves and in game libraries no longer than the 3 years that followed. Having little to no information on a potential release date, the folks at Full Circle were getting hit with the constant, “where’s the release date?” or “when can will be able to play?” followed by responses from the team where they would state that they are still working on it. The anticipation grew, the hunger for this game couldn’t be satiated and the wait would continue, making fans irritable. Until one late summer night, a shimmer of light reflected off screens around the world.

The Darks(l)ide of Skate

The year is 2025, a long and brutal 5 years after the initial announcement of skate. and finally, players who were stuck in “playtest purgatory,” were given access to what they hoped would be an experience that was worththe wait.

At the time of writing this, the official release of the game was, Sept. 16, 2025. Currently, players all over the world are getting their hands on a game that they hailed as the next big skate sim since Session, and Skater XL. But alas, the community has been in shambles, social media has taken a stance, and what most are saying is what I can only assume to be Full Circle’s nightmare. Players protesting the game due to it being riddled with micro-transactions, having a hefty and mandatory tutorial, and not including a single player experience. Fans of the franchise came out of the woodwork to voice their opinions, stating that this new title is not true to its roots, is a poor approach to a revival, and lacks depth.

Writers Thoughts

Time has passed, the hype has come and gone, and the players count has steadied out. Frequent updates, new content, and Full Circle staying true to their promises made on the roadmap has turned skate. into a game that is as easy to put down as it is to pick up. Overall the consensus I have come to is that it is a fun approach and a welcomed addition to the skateboarding genre. Is it groundbreaking? no, but that doesn’t mean players won’t enjoy the game. What I loved about previous games in the franchise wasn’t the graphics, it wasn’t the amount of clothing options or character customization choices, it all came down to how the skating felt. A mix of arcade and realism that no new skate sim has been able to top, allowing for lines that had a good mix of whackiness while remaining sensible giving players the ability to express themselves in more than one way while riding through the streets. I don’t expect much more from skate. but I am glad to have lived long enough to see its revival, even if only for a moment.

Cheers,

Soi