EA’s long-awaited Skate reboot finally has an early access release date, and the good news is you’ll be able to play it for free in less than a month.
Skate’s early access launch begins on September 16 via PC (EA App, Epic Games Store, Steam), PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
As previously announced, you will need an internet connection to play the game, as well as an EA account to log in. Skate developer Full Circle previously explained the need for an online connection as something required for its vision of a “living, breathing, massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving.”
“You’ll see bigger things evolve, like changes to the city over time,” the developer continued, “as well as smaller things, like live events and other in-game activities.”
Indeed, today’s release date trailer focuses firmly on multiplayer gameplay, with squads of skaters seen traversing the streets of San Vansterdam. The game’s open-world features traffic, and what look like custom-made objects hung in the sky for you to try and skate upon.
Skate was originally announced by publisher EA way back in 2020, and development has continued slowly but surely ever since. The game has previously been playable by fans within closed community playtests that have even seen the introduction of microtransactions for cosmetic items, if you were wondering how EA plans to monetise the game. All purchases will be reset at the game’s impending early access launch — though if you’ve paid anything before then, your money will be refunded.
“I can clearly see the direction developer Full Circle is taking the series, but I can also say that Skate is shaping up to be a game worthy of being the long-awaited sequel to 2010’s Skate 3,” IGN wrote in our Skate hands-on preview earlier this year. “The gameplay seems refined and lives up to its predecessors, the world is big and fun to explore, and the overall sandbox’s ‘do what you want’ vibe is really making me look forward to diving back in.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
