Skate’s always online requirement feels like yet another red flag

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EA’s forthcoming free-to-play multiplayer game, Skate, has been causing concern among gamers. In a recent developer blog post titled “The Grind,” it was revealed that the much-anticipated reboot will necessitate an always-online connection. While this is a common trait in many contemporary games with a strong focus on multiplayer, this requirement appears to be integral to Skate’s design. However, this feature alone isn’t the only source of concern for fans regarding the game’s development status.

Developers announce that upcoming MMO Skate will be always online

The “Skate” game franchise was initiated in 2007, however, it took a break when EA Black Box, its developing studio, shut down in 2013. Interestingly, in the year 2020, EA revealed plans for a comeback. This new version of “Skate” will mark the fourth installment in the series, and as per the development team’s statement, it will adopt a massively multiplayer or MMO approach. Unlike its predecessors, which did feature offline single-player content and a narrative to follow.

A select group of gamers have been given the opportunity to test-drive the latest iteration of Skate, but they’re bound by rules that prevent them from discussing their experiences and opinions with those outside the playtest community. This is typical for closed testing sessions, which means we’re still in the dark about what it feels like to actually play the game at this point. In today’s update, Skate‘s team confirmed its intention to launch an Early Access version in 2025, implying that we might not have to twiddle our thumbs for too long before getting our hands on it.

As for the continuous online requirement for this upcoming skateboarding game, the developer blog mentions: “‘The game and city are designed as a dynamic, ever-changing, massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online…’ To bring our vision of a living skateboarding world to life, the game will necessitate a persistent internet connection.” This concept seems intriguing but challenging to grasp at present. It differs from traditional skateboarding games of yore, which featured narratives, characters, and fresh locations. Skate needs to strike the right notes to thrive, and there are already a few concerning indications.

In a free-to-play game like this one, you can expect that income will be primarily derived from optional in-game purchases known as microtransactions. It’s worth noting that these transactions were included during the closed playtest phase, an uncommon practice, as the developers acknowledged, stating in their blog: “Although using real money during a playtest is not typical, we believe it provides us with valuable insights to fine-tune the system before its official release.” Upon the game’s Early Access launch, players will receive the money they spent during the playtest as in-game currency.

The live-service model has consistently shown that keeping it running is a challenge. Even large publishers like Warner Bros. and Ubisoft have had to close games and studios in the past year due to falling short of expectations with their live-service projects. Given that the new Skate game was announced in 2020, I’m hoping that the five years it took to develop won’t put undue pressure on it to recoup its costs swiftly.

To summarize, it’s uncommon for big-name publishers like EA to opt for Early Access for their games. Generally, Early Access serves as a beneficial platform for smaller studios to gather fan feedback and finance further development. Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the prime instances demonstrating this. I am cautious about larger projects utilizing this method honestly. At least, since it’s free-to-play, users won’t be purchasing a playtest in disguise. We’ll need to observe more on the upcoming Skate before drawing any conclusions.

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2025-04-26 03:32