Skate's Return Comes With an Always-Online Requirement, Frustrating Longtime Fans
After years of anticipation, EA and developer Full Circle are preparing to relaunch the beloved Skate series, but not without controversy. As the game nears its early access release later this year, new details have surfaced that have left many longtime fans disappointed. According to a new official blog post by Full Circle, Skate will require an always-online connection, even for solo players.
The confirmation came via an FAQ at the bottom of the blog post, where Full Circle addressed player inquiries bluntly:
"The simple answer: No. The game and city are designed to be 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, as well as smaller things, like live events and other in-game activities. In order to deliver on our vision of a skateboarding world, the game will always require a live connection."
This news, first highlighted by Eurogamer, underscores Full Circle’s ambition to create a dynamic, multiplayer-driven open-world experience where the environment and content evolve over time. However, it simultaneously alienates a large portion of the franchise's veteran community—players who fondly remember spending hours in Skate 1–3's offline modes perfecting tricks at their own pace, free from live service elements.
For many, the charm of the original Skate trilogy was the freedom it offered—immersing themselves in realistic skateboarding physics without worrying about server connections or in-game events. The decision to tether the new Skate to an always-online infrastructure reflects a broader trend in modern gaming but feels like a betrayal to those who were hoping for a faithful return to the series' roots.
Meanwhile, Full Circle also revealed that over 200,000 players have already participated in the ongoing closed alpha test that began in September 2024. Interested players can still sign up for playtesting with hopes of being selected, and there is a possibility that an open beta will be held closer to the early access launch.
As the early access phase approaches, it remains to be seen how Full Circle will balance the expectations of nostalgic fans with their vision for a "living" multiplayer skateboarding sandbox. Whether Skate's new direction will succeed or falter will largely depend on how well it can merge its ambitious live-service goals with the gameplay authenticity that defined the series.
How do you feel about Skate requiring an always-online connection? Will it affect your decision to play the game? Let us know your thoughts below!
